


The Tainted

by Nochuboi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Betrayal, Crystals, F/F, F/M, Genocide, Illnesses, Immortality, Immortals, Kings & Queens, M/M, Military, Multi, Other, Princes & Princesses, Prison, Prisoner of War, Royal Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss, Royalty, Superpowers, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:40:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 23,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25552966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nochuboi/pseuds/Nochuboi
Summary: How far can you go faking to be someone that you're not?But were you faking to be someone else or was it just one of your many personas?The prince has been asking himself these questions ever since he was born, and will continue asking until the day he dies.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Marco Bott, Armin Arlert/Reiner Braun, Bertolt Hoover/Annie Leonhart, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Eren Yeager, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Levi/Eren Yeager, Levi/Erwin Smith, Levi/Petra Ral, Marco Bott & Reiner Braun, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Mikasa Ackerman & Armin Arlert & Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Reiner Braun & Bertolt Hoover & Annie Leonhart, Sasha Blouse & Connie Springer, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	1. The Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go, another story....actually I started writing this a long time ago, and I think it's time to give it a perminate home.

**Time: The 4th month of the 845th year.**

**Location: The Kingdom of Edein, Hallten district**

"Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer........." The Missionary raved on and on about the plague, walking back and forth next to crowded streets of Hallten.

Between the cracks of the buildings, hid a petite 10 years old boy, chomping down on the remaining piece of bread he had. "Will anyone give me peace and quiet for once?" The boy lied down on his side, trying to get some needed rest.

As he was trying to go to sleep, a faint whistle was heard from the interior of the building that he was laying against. He covered his ears, muffling the sound.

"Hey...hey."

The boy was too tired to care at this point.

"Hey! Blonde Coconut head, get off my property! Get your privileged ass back to Gonin!"

The boy jolted up from the yelling. He looked up to see a two-toned haired boy, noticeably taller than him. But before he could open his mouth the other boy ran out of the house, into the street and is now standing towering in front of him. Then he started to drag the blonde out into an empty part of the street.

The blonde stood up but got pushed by the taller boy. Making him tumble to the ground.

"Hey! Armin look out!" The blonde heard a familiar voice come from behind him.

The blonde looked back up at the taller figure. Watching as a fist comes closer and closer to his face. He closes his eyes, getting ready for impact.

But the pain never came. Armin slowly opens his eyes to take a glance to see a brunet boy holding back the fist. Armin couldn't make out the face since the sun was in his eyes.

[ _Eren? No Eren's behind me]_ Armin thought.

 _[_ _Maybe he's also from Gonin...his outfit looks too clean to be from here...]_ Armin's thoughts were cut short by the violent shove the bully gave to the brunet

"Mind your own shit! Freckles!"

The brunet fell on his back, knocking all of the wood onto the ground. He swiftly got up and started picking up the fallen sticks of wood. Armin joined in to help him.

The bully turned to look at the two, with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Look Eren, Look at these rich bastards kneeling down before us like slaves. Oh, how I wish that day will come when this is rea-" Before he could finish, a strong fist knocked him to the ground.

The boy looked up expecting Eren to be the culprit for his pain, but it was.....an angel, with her black flowy hair and her soft hand that had hit his face. He felt like he was somehow knocked down into heaven.

"I..I'm Jean, May I know your name..."

"Say sorry, now!" The girl yelled at Jean, making him flinch.

"To whom?" Jean tries to act clueless, It was obviously not working. "Them," Eren said pointing to the two boys who were still picking up the wood.

"Oh, I'm _sorry_ Armin and _sorry_...." Jean paused realizing that the brunet was unfamiliar.

"Marco....it's Marco, and save it. I don't need a half-assed sorry from you." The brunet stood up and turned to Armin.

"Armin right? Your grandfather was looking all over for you...you should get back to Gonin." Marco said about to step away, but Armin held him back.

"Tell my grandfather, I'm just going to visit my friends...but I got sidetracked and then this happened so I might be home late..." Armin looks down ashamed of what he just said.

"You have no shame, do you?" Armin was shocked by what Marco had just said. The question hits him right where it hurts the most.

Armin's parents were killed in a raid between their kingdom and the Gallia Kingdom. His grandfather was the only family he had left.

"Hey, I was just kidding. Here take this as an apology." Marco shoved a bunch of paper into Armin's hands. It was money, a lot of money in fact.

"Now look at him...flexing his money, huh?" Jean said in an annoying voice.

To which the girl shot him the 'Imma kill you look'. Eren noticed and puts his hand on her shoulder. "Mikasa..." She turned around to Eren shaking his head slowly. Which made Mikasa soften up.

"Marco, I can't take this much money..." Armin frantically tried to give the money back. Which made Marco chuckle. "No, it's not for you, it's for your friends. Buy them something nice with it."

Armin still protested. "But it's _your_ money."

"It's my _parents'_ money." Marco said waving and turning away.   
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BANG!

The children covered their ears. Opening their eyes to see the adults dropping dead. Kids getting dragged and the smell of gunpowder was in the air.


	2. The Raid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most the following chapters will be sorta retelling the anime/manga but the story will differ sooner or later...anyway have fun reading :)

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BANG!

The children covered their ears. Opening their eyes to see the adults dropping dead. Kids getting dragged and the smell of gunpowder was in the air.

Before any of them could react. No...someone did react. Mikasa, she grabbed a hold of Armin and Eren and made a run for Eren's house. Leaving Jean and Marco to stand there, paralyzed from fear.

As they witness a Gallian Soldier dragging a lifeless body of a little boy, around half their age or so, across the street. "So stubborn, I gave him a chance to live, you know..." He said looking straight at them

"So, boys...wanna join us? Wanna join the Gallian Army? I'm an experienced soldier...I'll teach you well..." The middle-aged soldier straightened himself up, letting go of the little boy and pointed a gun at them.

Without hesitation Marco bolted into the crack of the building beside them while dragging Jean with him, the sharp turn he made into the crack caused the wood on his back to fall off, and onto the ground again.

"You think you run from me?" The soldier ran after them but not for long until he was stopped by the sticks of wood on the ground, making him slip comedically onto the street.

"Haha! Did you see that?" Jean comments on the comedic fall. "Let's get back there and whoop some soldiers' butts," Jean said, pulling back at Marco. "No." Marco gave a blunt response and kept on dragging him. Now they're behind a building, trying to find a place to hide.

"There, behind those barrels." Marco pointed to some shipping barrels. The boys held their breaths as the sound of footsteps became noticeable.

~

Panting was heard as the trio ran back to Eren's house. "Hey, how come that Jean dude knows my name?" Eren brought up as they were running. "Not a very good time be asking that, Eren..." Armin choked out breathlessly.

"Your dad invented a cure for the plague, Eren. Everyone knows that." Mikasa answered the question anyway.

As they reached Eren's house, it was eerily quiet. No soldiers, no residents.

Nothing but a bunch of smeared  _ blood... _

All over the walls of buildings, on the weapons left behind...and all over the sheets of clothing hung up to dry by Mrs. Jaeger.

Their eyes trail down onto the ground, fixed on the blood trail that leads from where the clothes were hanging to the front door of Eren's house.

~

Jean's teeth were chattering from fear as the footsteps got closer and closer. Marco covered his ears as if not hearing the noises makes him feel better.

Cornered in the back of the buildings, behind some barrels as a Gallian soldier was hunting them down. Basically, the boys were screwed.

Marco now was covering his eyes as the soldier got right next to the barrel he was hiding behind. Jean was making himself as small as possible to not get noticed, behind Marco.

Yes, Jean is hiding behind Marco. As they hid behind the barrels. So much for the big bad bully, he was a few moments ago.

"Marco..." a deep voice spoke. Marco thought it was Jean since his eyes were closed. "Marco Bodt, what are you doing here?" The voice spoke again. Marco then realizes who the voice belongs to.

Marco uncovers his eyes. Looking at the familiar features of his father.

"Dad!" He exclaimed. Making Jean flinch behind him. "What are you doing here?!" Marco's dad lashed out. "You were supposed to be home 10 minutes ago!" He yelled at his son while dragging him out from behind the barrel.

"And who is he?! A pleasant? You're hanging out with a pleasant?!" He got even more furiously at the sight of Jean behind Marco.

While he was yelling, the two children noticed a dark figure creeping behind him.

"Dad!" "Sir!" Marco and Jean yelled in unison. Making Mr. Bodt turn around. As a Gallian Soldier swung his sword straight at him.

~

The three stood in utter shock, looking at what was on the ground. Blood all over the place, and a trail that leads directly to Eren's house.

"Mom!" Eren dashes towards the house, already with tears in his eyes. Mikasa and Armin followed.

Eren opens the door slowly, scared that the worst would be behind the door, and it was...

His mom on the ground, head covered in blood. Standing in front of her, a Gallion soldier holding a flail in his hand. Playing with it like it was a toy.

"Uh?" The soldier heard the creaks as Eren opened the door "Now who have we got here?" He turned to face Eren, Mikasa, and Armin standing behind the crack of the door, still yet to step in the house.

Eren wasn't feeling sad, only anger filled him. Angry that a person this  _ evil _ was still breathing.

Eren grabbed the closest, sharpest thing he could find, which was a poker stick right next to the fireplace.

"You think that dull thing is going to penetrate me?" The soldier cackled out. Coming closer to Eren.

"That's it! You asked for it bastard!" Eren exclaims as he rams the soldier once in the stomach with the stick.

The soldier let out a loud grunt. Then he picked Eren up by his throat. Choking him in mid-air.

The sight of Eren like this was too familiar to Mikasa. It was like that day all over again. The day her parents died.


	3. The Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dead and missing mothers....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy early birthday, Reiner! (this was posted on July 31st, CST)

The sight of Eren like this was too familiar to Mikasa. It was like that day all over again. The day her parents died.

She froze there in complete shock. She couldn't believe that this was happening again. Armin turns around, slamming his back to the door. Unable to comprehend what was going on.

"This is not happening, this is not happening," Armin repeated to himself over and over.

Time seems to slow down as neither Mikasa nor Armin has the guts to save Eren. They were brought back to reality with Eren's desperate screams, as he struggles in the soldier's grasps.

"Mikasa! What are you standing there for?! Save me!" Eren screamed with all his might as his airway was starting to close up.

~

Mr. Bodt let out a cry of agony as the sharp blade of the Gallian soldier struck his shoulder. He topples down onto the ground.

"Father!" Marco grabbed his father's arms trying to help him up.

"Marco, listen to me. You need to get back home." Mr. Bodt says as he got back up on his feet.

The Gallian soldier attempted to swing his sword at the boys but Mr. Bodt caught it in time and threw the sword aside. Grabbing a hold of the soldier's arm, twisting it behind his back.

"Marco! Didn't I tell you to get back home?! What are you standing there for?!" Mr. Bodt shouts at Marco, as he bends the soldier's arm behind his back, cracking sounds made Jean cringed in disgust.

Marco backed way and started to run towards his house. As Jean follows close behind him.

~

With Eren cry for help, Mikasa's survival instinct kicked in and she grabbed the fallen poker stick next to Eren and proceeded to ram it through the soldier's abdomen.

Making him drop Eren and hold his side in pain. Even though everything seems like it was going to fine. Mikasa continues to stab him like a mad wo(man).

Armin could hear the screams of terror from the soldier even with the door blocking him from the scene.

"Mikasa! Enough!" He heard Eren yelling from the other side.

Mikasa stops her motion in mid-air, breathing heavily as the man beneath her bleeds out all over the floor, but she knows that he's not dead....

Armin stood up and peered into the house. "What-" the sight of blood shocked Armin. He knew that Mikasa was very protective of Eren, but this is...this is madness.

"Mikasa..." Armin murmured. She didn't respond, dropping the blood-covered stick. "It's over...we're safe for now." She said casually, as nothing had happened.

"Mom...mom wake up, mom wake up!" Eren drove attention to himself as he hovers over his deceased mother, weeping.

"Eren..." Mikasa came closer to Eren. "She's dead..." "Don't you think I know that?!" Eren yelled back.

"Eren, you shouldn't yell, the soldiers could come back, And that guy over there could regain his consciousness any minute now." Armin remarked.

"Let me mourn in peace, goddammit!" Eren continues to holler.

Mikasa has had enough of Eren's attitude and gave him a good jab in the face.

"What the fuck was that for!" Eren held his cheek in pain. "You're overreacting, Eren." "Overreacting? My mother just died!" Eren was on the verge of choking from his tears.

"It's not like you haven't people being killed and died, Eren," Mikasa said with an eerily calm voice.

"I'm not like you, Mikasa! Ever since that incident you've been an emotionless blob!" Mikasa's and Armin's eyes widened at Eren's rude statement.

"You don't feel sadness or happiness anymore, ever since then, you thought crying was for the weak!" Eren lashes out at Mikasa.

**A/N: I love Mikasa, please don't take this to heart. Just for the story.**

Eren stood up and exited the house, angered.

Mikasa couldn't help but shed a tear, the person who she cared about most, just ridiculed her.

"He didn't mean it, Mikasa. I'll go talk to him." Armin offered and stepped outside.

Armin eyed Eren as Eren kicked a few barrels outside of his house.

"Tell me you didn't mean that, Eren." Armin's sudden words made Eren jump.

Eren let out a sigh and wiped away the remaining tears he had.

"I didn't mean it entirely..." He said weakly

"Eren, you know that Mikasa only wants the best for you, right?"

"I guess, but that doesn't excuse her behavior. My mom just died and she told me I was overreacting. It's like she doesn't care at all." Eren said in a more angered tone.

"Eren, she cares a lot, but maybe not the best at expressing how much she cares, just let it go."

"Alright...but what am I going to do now? My dad's off at work and won't be back for a long time..."

"It's your choice." Armin offered up a bit of encouragement.

"Oh, I know! I'll join the army, then I'll get my revenge on them!" Armin thought that Eren was crazy, the mortality rate of their soldiers was known to be low.

"Eren, I hope you know that's a foolish idea." Both Eren and Armin turn around to see Mikasa leaning on the door.

"Yeah, they're immortals. We can't kill them all." Armin protested.

"Then we'll lock them up. Let them rot for the rest of their miserable lives." Eren said, sounding more and more psychotic.

"Eren-." Mikasa was cut off.

"I'm joining the military and that's it. End of discussion."

The other two still tried to convince him not to, but when Eren makes a decision, he sticks with it.

~

**Time: The 4th month of the 845th year. (The same day)**

**Location: The Kingdom of Edein, Gonin District**

"Marco, that was your dad?" Jean questioned as they were making their way to Marco's house.

Marco didn't answer. He was too in a rush.

[ _Maybe the freckles came from his mom..._ ] Jean thought up his own answer.

"Jean, stay outside...I'll go," Marco said as they reached the house. Jean nodded.

Marco pulled the handle on his door, it didn't budge. So he pulled harder. It still didn't open.

"Mom! Are you there?! Mom!" He yelled from the outside. While banging the door furiously.

"Do you need help?" Jean offered.

"No, it's okay. You should stay back." Marco says as he backs up, looking like he was ready to run. 

"Um...what are you doing?"

"This." Marco charged at the door, slamming it with his body weight. He had to try a few times but it worked, he got in.

But his efforts would be for nothing...

No one was home.

"Mom? Are you in here?" Marco searched for the whole house. But his mom was nowhere in sight.

At that moment Jean felt extremely ungrateful of what he had, watching Marco lose his mind as he destroyed his whole house trying to look for his mother.

Jean had practically everything, a loving mother and father, a roof over him and food on his plate. But he was too blinded by wealth to appreciate how fortunate he was.

"She's gone...gone."

"Useless, God damn useless." Jean heard Marco mumbled.

Jean pears into the house, Marco was gripping his hair, looking like he was going to pull it out.

He couldn't believe it, the calm and collected Marco he met just moments ago was...broken.

"What sins have they committed to have me as their son...only son?" His voice, now shaky.

Jean steps closer to Marco, who has tears running down his freckled face.

"I'm sorry..." Jean kneeled down and gave Marco a light hug. "Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault." He said, trying to comfort Marco.

"No...it's my fault, here look." Marco handed Jean a piece of paper. "Marco, I can't read this." Jean handed back the paper.

"Oh, the lower classes can't read...sorry." Marco took the paper and decided to read it for himself.

"It says, 'To my dear Felix-"

"Felix?" Jean questioned.

"It's my dad's name," Marco responded then continued.

'I shall take the place of our son in this raid, make sure he grows up to be a strong young man. But do not keep your guard down, they'll be back for _him_.'

"Who's 'him'?" Jean wondered.

"I think she's referring to me," Marco said.

"Why you?"

"I don't know."

'To my sweet Marco, stay strong and positive. Always have a smile on your face, no matter what life throws at you.'

Marco paused, reading more would make him cry. But he persisted.

'Mommy loves you very much, don't you ever forget that.'

It was signed 'Anika Bodt'

In blood.


	4. The Military

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco hates his father?

They stared at the blood signed signature on the paper.

"You think they..." Jean started but stopped.

Marco let of a sigh.

"Hope not, I gotta go." Marco stood up and started grabbing his things. "Where are you going?" Jean followed and observed as Marco packed his stuff.

"I...don't know."

Jean grabs a hold of Marco's shoulder, shaking it.

"Get it a grip, man. You're not going anywhere." Marco's expression becomes dull.

"I can't face my father like this, he's probably going to kill me."

"Why would he kill you? Marco, calm down." Jean held Marco back, who was about to get right back to packing.

"My dad is gonna come home, find out that his wife is missing and he's going to blame me for not being able to protect her." Marco tried to remove Jean's hand off his shoulder.

"Marco, you can't run away from this! You know it's not your fault!" Jean was getting annoyed by Marco's self-blaming.

"Then what am I supposed to do, huh? Tell me." Marco pleaded.

Jean really didn't know how to respond, he didn't want to set Marco in the wrong path.

"I think you should..."

"I think you should get out of our house, pleasant." They both look to the entranceway. Mr. Bodt was standing right there.

Mr. Bodt wouldn't have looked so intimidating if he and his son actually shared similar features. The uniform he was wearing was an Edein army uniform, which Jean failed to notice the last time they met.

Jean started to move behind Marco a bit. As Marco steps forward towards his father.

"Dad, leave him alone." Marco tried to put on a brave face in front of his father.

"He has gotten to you, hasn't he? Get out of our house now!" Mr. Bodt grabs Jean from behind Marco and throws him out of the house. Then shut the door violently.

"Father!" Marco lashed out.

"Listen here son, don't ever raise your voice at me again if you know what's good for you." Mr. Bodt said sternly and grabbed the piece of paper that was in Marco's hand.

"What is this?" He unfolded the paper and read the contents.

"You're reading it, aren't you?" Marco showed an attitude.

"Good, It looks like you've already started to pack up." Mr. Bodt circled around Marco, Marco was somewhat petite and skinny. Mr. Bodt was not fond of his physic.

"I've enlisted you in the military, I was afraid this day would come." Mr. Bodt flopped down onto the family's couch. Pinching his temple.

"You were going to go when you turn 13 anyway, so why not just go now."

"You mean if you are going to die anyway why delay the inevitable. Right?" Marco was really getting on his father's nerves with that statement.

"And you don't give a shit about mom?!" Marco was appalled that his father showed no concern that his wife was missing.

"Language, young man. I did not raise you like this."

"You didn't  _ raise _ me at all. Mom did." Marco corrected

"So she taught you those vulgar words? That was what she was doing while I was out risking my life?!" Mr. Bodt stood up and tried to remove his wedding band.

"Why did we waste our time on a failure like you?! My wife and I were just doing fine on our own without you!" 

Marco hand hovers over something to throw at his father, But it's a bit too early to break his nice guy (boy) persona, so he had held back. 

"Consider yourself lucky for having a son like me! Without me you're nothing but a sad commander of some low-life cannon fodders!" Instead of using force, Marco loudly growled at his father. 

Mr. Bodt didn't have a comeback for his son's outburst, it was sorta true...being honest he thought that his soldiers were losers...can't even do one thing right...

Sighing, he approached his son, seeing the hatred in Marco's eyes was new to him...maybe they weren't so different from each other after all...blood related or not. 

"Enough for today, get back to your room. We leave early tomorrow morning." Mr. Bodt drags Marco into his room and locks the door from the outside.

~

**Time: The 3rd month of the 848th year. (3 years later)**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

_ "Eren, keep still. It'll only hurt a bit." _

_ Dr. Jaeger struggles against Eren's resistance. _

_ But finally, he managed to inject him with the serum. _

"Aaahhh!" Eren yells in pain, but there was no pain to be felt since he was in the classroom. Daydreaming...or more like having a nightmare.

"Mr. Jaeger, I shall ask you again. What is the best way to catch someone off guard?" The professor steps a bit closer to Eren's side of the room.

There was no answer from Eren.

"Ackerman...nevermind." The professor gave up, Mikasa was too preoccupied with Eren to notice.

"Kirstein, you answer the question."

Jean didn't know the answer, obviously. He looked over to his seatmate and gave him a tug on the sleeve.

"Help me." He whispered

"Mr. Kristein, if I'd wanted an answer from Marco, I would have asked him. I want an answer from _you._ " The professor starts to shake his head from disappointment.

"Does  _ anyone _ have an answer?" The professor was desperate at this point.

"Oh-oh me!" A very eager bald fellow raised his hand.

"Yes, Connie."

"The question was 'what is the best way to catch someone off guard' right?"

"Right."

"Uh...you..." Connie scratches his chin as if he was thinking really hard.

"You ask them a surprising question. Like what you're doing right now." Well, at least he tried.

"No Connie, I meant in hand to hand combat."

"Oh, then I know!" The girl next to Connie chimed in.

"Maybe, you can offer them food. Because bread makes the world go round." She said in a sing-song type of voice.

"What?" The professor was utterly confused.

"I think you'll get killed before you can offer them anything, Sasha. Better reevaluate your priorities." He sat down at his desk.

"Will any of you smart people restore my faith in humanity?  _ please _ ." The professor runs his fingers through his hair, frustrated.

"Um..." Armin said, raising his hand slowly. While flipping through his notes.

"Yes, Mr. Arlert. Please answer the question." The professor sounds a bit more energetic now.

"You hit their sensitive areas, like the groin. But if you want it quick, you kick their knee or shin."

"Correct. But even Armin looked through his notes. Meaning you guys need to get it together or you'll fail the test tomorrow."

"Class is dismissed." 


	5. The Commandant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Test results...and training?

**Time: The 4th month of the 848th year (One Week Later)**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

Everyone sat quietly awaiting their professor.

The professor entered the classroom with a blank look on his face. Like did they  _ all  _ fail the test?

"Would you guys like to hear the good or bad news first?"

"Bad." The class says in unison.

"When I call your name, come up to the front of the class and stand."

"Ackerman" 

"Arlert" 

"Bodt" 

"Hoover" 

"Leonhart"

One by one they all stood up and headed to the front of the class.

"Excuse me sir, but you said that this was the bad news," Thomas questioned.

"Yeah, why are some of the smartest people up there?" Jean added.

"Hold your horses, Thomas and Jean, I will explain."

The professor looks at the students standing next to him with disappointment. Then he shakes his head.

They all look at him in return with a concerned look. Well except for Annie and Mikasa, they didn't really care.

"You don't know how ashamed I’m right now, class." The professor flips through the files of paper in his hand.

"Ashamed that only a measly five students out of a class of thirty are staying up here." The professor started to hand back the tests to the five students standing.

"Cadets, state the score you got. Starting alphabetically by the last name. The test was out of 100." He ordered.

"100"

"100"

"98"

"97"

"96"

"The average score of these students is around 98 percent." The professor showed a bit of a smile.

"Very impressive, I must say. At least now I know at least five people decided to listen to me and study."

The professor's expression turns sour again when turning back to look at the rest of the papers.

"The rest of the class's scores averages out to a measly 69." The professor's voice got harsher as he ended his sentence.

"But I will mention that some students did get scores in the eighties. Which is good." He stepped up the stairs and handed back some of the students' papers.

Jean, Reiner, and Christa got their tests back.

As soon as Jean got his test back he shot Eren a look of confidence. Which made Eren clench his fist in frustration.

Not only did he fail the test but out of anyone, Jean was the one who has surpassed him.

"The five standing will stay inside and resume their learning curriculum, meanwhile the rest of you will get some of your training done." The professor breaks the tension between Jean and Eren.

"Sir." Mikasa was heard from the front of the class.

"May I go out to train as well?" She offered to go train cause there's no way Eren is getting out of her sight.

"Sure. The five of you can choose if you want to stay inside or not."

After the correction, he ushered the rest of the class outside. He turns back to only see two of the five students remaining.

"So it's only you two then...Armin and Marco."

~

"So you guys were the failed trainees, correct?! I am Keith Shadis! And you will grow to hate me! " The commandant yells at the top of his lungs. As he makes his way onto the field.

"What's your name, young lady?" He steps right in front of Mikasa.

"Mikasa Ackerman, sir."

"You don't look like a C to F grade student, WHY ARE YOU OUT HERE?!" Not even his screaming could make her flinch.

"By my own free will, sir."

"At least this training session won't be a complete disaster if you're here." He steps away from Mikasa.

"Sir, you have new cadets!" A distanced yell caught Shadis's attention.

"Ugh, even more, useless kids to train." Shadis turns around.

"What are your names!" He yells at the newly arrived boys.

"Armin Arlert! Sir!" Armin shouts slamming his fist onto his chest.

"Looks like a weakling to me...you should cut your hair so it doesn't get in the way."

"How bout you, freckles?"

"Marco Bodt, Sir." Shadis squinted his eyes and circled around Marco.

"Bodt...Bodt why does that ring bell?" He said still keeping his eyes glued to Marco.

"Any relation to Felix Bodt? One of our leading commanders?" Shadis said getting too close for comfort to Marco's face.

"My father, sir," Marco avoided eye contact, stepping back a bit.

"Really? You don't look a thing like him. Which I guess is a good thing. Even I can't stand looking at him in the eyes."

"Oh and one other thing. Didn't your father ever teach you some manners? Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you! Now hit the dirt and give me 30!"

Shadis walks to Jean, next.

"State your name!"

"Jean Kristein, sir!"

"And why are you here?!"

"To join the Military Police and live in the interior."

"So your dream is to be in the interior, huh?"

"Yes........................................................ow!"

Yes, Jean just got headbutted by the commandant. He swore that he heard Eren chuckle from afar.

"Can't even handle me? Then forget about the fucking military!" Shadis was indeed here to shatter everyone's dreams.

"Now who the hell are you!? Baldy!" The commandant grabbed a hold of the cadet's head lifting him up like he weighed nothing.

"Connie Springer, Sir!"

"Connie Springer, you must be out of your goddamn mind! You think a scrawny ass like you could survive?!" The commandant got all up in Connie's face this time, some of the spit got on Connie's cheek.

_ Crunch Crunch _

The infuriating noise has caught Shadis's ears, making him drop Connie straight onto the ground

"Hey you, what in hell are you doing?" He walks to the source of the sound.

Yep, it was Sasha

She acted like she didn't hear him, and kept on chomping down on her potato.

"Hey! I'm talking to you here! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Sasha swallowed her potato and responded.

"I'm Sasha Braus, your commandantness..." Sasha's voice was unclear due to the remaining food in her mouth.

"What is in your right hand? Sasha."

"A steamed potato, sir. It was from the kitchen. I couldn't resist."

"Just snatched it up, huh...why would you think it was a good idea to eat right now?"

"A soldier can't fight on an empty stomach, sir." Sasha looked down at the remaining potato she had.

"No, I don't understand, why are you eating the potato..."

"Are you asking why people eat potatoes? sir."

"Here sir, have half." She broke 'half' of the potato and gave it to Shadis.

As the rest of her peers look on in shock.

Shadis proceeds to drag Sasha to the side of the field.

"As you can see cadets, just a 'minor' misdemeanor, such as not looking at the commandant when he is talking, earned Marco 30 push-ups."

Sasha was still trying to eat her potato but Shadis knocked it out her hands.

"Hey!" Sasha yelled in distress.

"But this is crossing the line, Sasha you shall run 10 laps around the entire vicinity of the camp."

"But-" Connie tried to intervene.

"Make that 15, and you have to finish by sundown or you owe me 10 more the next day." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leaving me feeback on how this story is going so far and how I can improve!  
> Thank you for reading :)


	6. The Rivalry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More story suff...

**Time: The 4th Month of the 848th year (The same day/Dusk)**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

"Man, I can't believe that the commandant made her run 15 freaking laps," Connie complained to the others while they were in front of the boys' dorm.

"Consider yourself lucky, Marco. He could have made you run 30 or even 50 laps."

"That's a bit overkill, Connie," Armin said.

"I heard that the three of you were present at the raid of Hallten..." Thomas tried to insert himself into the conversation.

"Y..yeah, we were there...." Armin didn't want to be reminded of that.

Eren was completely silent, his expression went blank.

"I'm sorry...I just heard-" Thomas felt guilty.

"They will pay for this, they  _ will  _ pay..." Eren mumbled to himself. Thomas looked at the rest, confused as to why Eren is acting like that.

"Yeah I was there, I rammed that bastard in good." Eren continued. "That's what he gets for killing my mother."

"W..what about the three of you...Armin, Jean, and Marco?"

"Yeah, what's with the scar on the back of your neck, Marco?" Eren turned around.

"It was nothing, It was an accident." Marco holds the back of his neck.

"Dude, that's like a bullet scar, you can't get that from an 'accident'." Connie snorted.

"Was it from the raid?" Armin joined in.

"No, it was from a year or so before that." Marco is now scratching the scar.

"So did your dad use his son as a practicing target or something?" Jean smacked Marco on the back hard.

"I don't know, I honestly don't know how I got the scar."

"Were you with Eren, and Mikasa during the raid, Armin?" Marco tries to get the attention off him by asking Armin.

"I was-"

"Yeah, Armin was with us, but he sat outside like a coward." Eren took the words right out of Armin's mouth. Okay, maybe not the coward part.

"And I bet Jean was hiding like a little bitch," Eren added.

"Hey, that's not entirely true, Jaeger!" Jean grabbed Eren's collar.

"Guys, don't fight here." Marco holds Jean's shoulder back.

"Then we'll take it somewhere else." Eren started to drag Jean off the porch of the dorm.

Just at that moment, what a coincidence. Mikasa was walking by. Eren right then and there decided to show Mikasa a cool trick, he learned from Annie.

"Hey, Mikasa look!" He yelled to get her attention.

But before Eren could show Mikasa his 'cool' trick. Mikasa approaches Eren, grabs his hand gently and drags him to the lunch hall.

"Ugh, why does she like Eren anyway, She's like his sister...gross. She should be with a man like me." Jean put emphasis on the 'man' part.

~

"Food *panting* Food....give me food."

Sasha managed to crawl to the girls' dorm, she didn't finish her laps. Guess she owed Shadis more laps tomorrow.

Sasha looked to her side and saw the image of heaven itself, a goddess. She propelled herself at Krista like a wild animal, snatching the bread right out of her hand.

"Ah!" Krista yelped from shock. Falling down on her behind.

"Bread," Sasha said, holding the bread up like a trophy.

"Are you God!" Sasha grabbed her savior by the shoulder.

"Hey." The clacking of boots can be heard coming towards them.

"What are you doing with potato girl?" A tall girl with freckles scattered across her face came into the light.

"She was running for a while now..." Christa answered as Sasha took big bites out of the bread.

"Were you trying to be nice?"

"Huh? Ymir, what do you mean?"

Sasha soon finished her bread and now her head lied on Krista's lap.

"Just because she's potato girl? What did you expect in return?"

"Please be clearer, Ymir."

Ymir rolled her eyes at the innocence of Krista.

"You should have a higher expectation for yourself, hun." Ymir rubs the top of Krista's head as she walks away.

Ymir halted and looked back to see Krista struggling to put Sasha over her shoulders.

"Actually, I'll take her to her bunk." Ymir puts sleeping Sasha over her shoulder.

"So you're being  _ nice _ too, Ymir."

"By doing this for her, she'll owe me her lunch tomorrow," Ymir smirked a little. Then proceeded to carry Sasha to her dorm.

~

**Time:** **The 2nd month of the 850th year (2 years later)**

**Location: Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"Fasten up the pace, Arlert!"

Says the commandant who is riding his horse. Lucky for him...

"What...the bag is too heavy?! Leave in the mud then and hustle up!!" Shadis yells as the rain pours down on them.

"Dammit," Armin mumbled his face full of exhaustion.

"Really? Here, I got it. Now focus on staying upright." Reiner grabs the bag off of Armin.

"Reiner...you don't-" Armin didn't want to seem weak.

"You're lucky to have friends who help you, Armin," Reiner said to Armin.

"Huh?" Armin was a bit lost.

"Most people aren't what they seem, so don't be so nice, They'll take that as an advantage and walk all over you. You got it?" Reiner clarified.

"Y..yeah." Armin stuttered out.

Reiner ran towards the front of the group. Leaving Armin behind.

Armin stood there, Thinking about what Reiner had just said. 

~

**Time: The 3rd month of the 850th year**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

"So who's going to be your partner for practice, Eren?" Reiner asked.

"I don't know. Someone strong."

"How about Annie? Hey Annie!" Reiner called out to her. Annie redirected her path.

"Annie? She's so short though." Eren didn't appreciate Reiner's choice. It's like he's underestimating him.

"Oh, you know what they say about short people." Reiner started.

"What..." Eren gave Reiner a lame look.

"That their strength is more than double their volume. Man, she knocked me off my feet when I tried her."

"...." Annie gave a glare to both Eren and Reiner.

"A..annie, Eren says he wants to train with you," Reiner explained.

"I didn't say that you-" Eren got cut off by Annie.

"Let's get it over with..." Annie got in her defensive stance.

In a blink of an eye, before Eren could even make a move. He found himself flipped over, legs above his head and Annie walking away silently.

"Hey!" Eren called out still on the ground. "I order a rematch, that wasn't fair!"

"Fair or not, you're too predictable..." Annie didn't even bother to look back.

"What's that supposed to mean? I didn't even get to make a move." Reiner helped Eren get back on his feet.

"You should have taken your chance to take me down. Don't wait for your opponent to make the first move." Annie started to actually walk away this time.

"Cool advice, Annie. Now take this." Eren glanced quickly at Reiner. Reiner seems to get the hint and both of them start to head towards Annie.

"Ah!"

"Ow!"

They both yelled and fell to the ground. Even the two of them were no match for Annie.

She was a force to be reckoned with. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ^-^ have a nice day, and stay safe and healthy!!


	7. The Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The build-up...

**Time: The 5th month of the 850th year**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

"So Cadets! Today you become real soldiers!" Shadis once again yells like a madman.

It's a wonder how he hasn't lost his voice yet.

"But only the top ten may become the leader of their elective squad! The rest of you may get the chance to choose between the Garrison, The Scouts, and the Military Police!"

The whole room became noisy as people were discussing their choices.

"Silence!"

"Don't get your hopes up! You need to survive first. Survive through some more raids to even have a chance to think about your futures! Do you hear me?!!"

"Sir! Yes! Sir!"

"Dismissed!"

~ 

**Time: The 7th month of the 850th year**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

"Soldiers! Get into formation!!!"

The cadets stopped their chatter and hurried into formation.

"I was informed that Gallian troops are heading our way!! But fear not soldiers! We will win this battle!" Wow...Shadis being encouraging.

"Oh my god, we're all gonna die...." Some soldiers mutter to themselves.

"I'm never gonna make it to the interior at this point...." Jean crouched down holding his head.

People around started to have panic attacks. Crying, shivering, and even vomiting.

"There there, are you ok?" Krista patted on the back of one of the soldiers that were throwing up.

"Alright, Alright! Jean, you'll be on Eren's squad! Marco be the leader!" The Commandant yells behind Jean's back.

"What! No way I'm being in the same squad as horse face!" Eren rushed towards Jean holding his collar.

"Same goes for you, Jaeger! Thank God, we're all gonna die so I don't need to look at that idiotic face of yours anymore!" Jean pushed back on Eren.

Meanwhile, Mikasa stumbles around the crowd, searching for her precious Eren.

"Eren!" Mikasa spotted Eren picking a scuffle with Jean.

"Eren! What squad are you on?!" She pulls Eren away from Jean.

Eren glared at Mikasa, pulling his arm away from her. "You're not my mom, Mikasa." Mikasa's expression turns gray.

"We're not on the same squad, Mikasa. Stop being selfish! Not everything is about you!" Eren yells in a fit of anger.

"I bet you won't give a shit if anyone else here died, wouldn't you?! You only care about me!" Eren continues to break Mikasa's heart.

"How am I...That's not tru-"

"Ackerman, you're assigned for backup, come with me." One of the higher-ranking soldiers interrupted them.

Mikasa nodded to make the soldier go away.

"B..but Eren, do me a favor, promise me you'll be safe. Promise me you won't die...." Mikasa muttered to Eren, looking down. Holding onto Eren's sleeve.

"Yeah...sure, whatever...." Eren pulled his arm away from Mikasa's grip again. Then walks away.

~

"Oh come on...." Armin said, struggling with his holster straps. In the base's storage room. 

"There you are Armin, Are you-" Marco poked his head into the crack of the door.

"Ahhh!" Armin yelped.

"Are you ok, Armin?" Marco looks at Armin still struggling with the gun holster.

"Oh no, It's nothing...You just sorta startled me." Armin responded in a rush to put the holster on. 

"Alright then, just hurry up. Ok?" Marco closes the door and swiftly walks off.

_[ Just ask Marco for help, Armin. You're not being weak]_

"Marco!!!" Armin yelled out.

_[ Man, I hope he's still there. ]_

The door creaks as Marco reenters the room. "Yeah? You called?" He fully steps into the room this time.

"You know this is kinda embarrassing, but can you help me with my holster?" Armin gave an awkward smile.

"Of course, and why would it be embarrassing?" Marco said as he examined Armin's holster.

".....um."

"What's wrong with it?" Armin asked.

"It's broken, or maybe sabotaged," Marco said, throwing away the holster.

"What? How is it sabotaged?" Armin grabbed the holster, examining it for himself.

"Who gave it to you?" Marco asks as he digs through the crates for a new holster.

"Bertholdt, maybe it's just a bit big." Armin feels like he's wasting Marco's time. He is the squad leader after all. "You should get back to the squad, they're about to go into battle." Armin insisted.

"Now what type of leader am I to leave one of my squad members behind? No way I'm leaving without you." Marco then took a stubble and fell fully into one of the bigger crates.

"Gosh! Are you alright?!" Armin rushed over.

"Nothing but bombs....not a holster in sight." Marco chuckled at his own clumsiness. 

"Be careful, get out of there!" Armin said frantically, pulling on Marco's arm. 

"Calm down, they're just shells." Marco jokingly threw one at Armin. Armin overreacted, throwing his hands above his head, shielding himself from the shell.

"Overreacting could get you killed one day, Armin," Marco stated as he got out of the crate.

"What's gotten into you, Marco? You're acting strange. You're not usually this.....um playful...." Armin was worried that Reiner's words might actually come true. 

"I can't act serious all of the time, Armin..." Marco didn't really know how to explain why he did what he did. 

_BANG!_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

Nope, It wasn't a gunshot. It was just Shadis, slamming the door of the room wide open. His eyes had a look of a killer. He glared at Marco and then to Armin. 

"WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU MORONS!!!!" Shadis growled.

"We-" Marco got cut off. 

"OUT ON THE BATTLEFIELD, NOW!!!"

They both hurried upstairs. "Armin, catch." Marco threw his hostler to Armin while running. "I modified it, so it'll fit you." 

"Thanks, but what are you going to use?" 

"I'm better equipped with a sword anyway. You need it more than me." Marco gave Armin a reassuring smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next Monday for another chapter! Thanks for reading! ^-^ have a safe and happy day :)


	8. The Survivors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle and the aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very bad at describing any action scenes, so I really need your imagination for this. (Bad at describing in general)
> 
> I will try to improve on that in the future. (Keyword TRY) 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter

**Time: The 7th month of the 850th Year (The Same Day)**

**Location: The kingdom of Edein, Trost District**

"Die! Die! Die!" Eren sounded like a maniac as he shoots bullet after bullet towards the hordes of Gallian army men. 

"You know Eren, That you can't even kill them anyway, we’re supposed to slow them down until the backup arrives, and if you weren't actually a pussy, you would get out there and shove a blade up their asses." Jean mocks Eren as they hide behind an alleyway.

"At least I'm doing something, Horse Face. What are you doing here anyway? Too scared?" Eren teases as he reloaded his gun.

"Why you!" Jean got so triggered that he kicked Eren into the streets, right in front of the Gallian troops.

"Bastard!" Eren yelled out as he hits the ground.

"Oh, a free kill? My lucky day." One of the soldiers got off their horse, pointing their gun at Eren.

[ _Oh shit, the fall made me drop the gun..._ ]

Eren slowly backs away, still on the ground. Turning his head to Jean, who was just frozen with fear.

"Help me out here" Eren mouthed to Jean. He can't believe he's asking horse face for help.

"So you got a friend?" The Gallian soldier turns his attention to Jean. Getting out his second gun to point at him.

Jean was trying so hard not to panic, gripping onto his gun, leveling it up to the soldier's head, ready to fire.

"One more step and I'll blow your brains out." Jean threatened.

"What are they thinking?! Sending kids into the battleground! Such morons!!" The soldier lost his cool and was about to fire at both Jean and Eren.

_Bang! Drip drip..._

The soldier's now limp body fell to the ground. Lying there unconscious. 

"Shit..." Eren holds his chest in pain.

"Gosh Armin, did you really shoot a man?" Jean uttered in disbelief.

"Marco said he'll keep them back, let's just get out of here." Armin ran to bleeding Eren.

"He can't fight them all by himself, I'm going-"

"Jean, he's getting assistance from the others, Let's just go!" Armin practically just yelled at Jean. 

Both of them helped Eren to his feet and booked it to the infirmary.

~

Mikasa felt her heart dropped for an odd reason.

[ _Is Eren alright? I got a bad feeling. Please let Eren be alright_ ]

"Ackerman, pay attention." Rico fiddles with the signal gun.

"Ian will distract them and our job is to shoot them with these net guns."

Mikasa nodded and grabbed on the net gun, really to aim.

"How are we going to haul their bodies back?" Mikasa wanted clarification.

"When we get them, I'll shoot a flare, calling for backup." Rico gave a nod to Ian to start the plan.

~

"Hey, that's the backup signal flare, isn't it?" Connie pointed to the puff of color in the sky.

"They need manpower. I'm going." Ymir got out her swords runs them together, getting pumped for some action.

"If Ymir is going then I'm going too." Krista didn't want to be the sitting (turtle)duck in the situation.

**A/N: if anyone gets that reference, bless you.**

"No can do princess." Ymir stopped to look around.

"Hey! Kirstein, take my Krista to the base will you!" Jean ran to them rolling his eyes.

"Your Krista? Since when was she yours?" Jean teased.

"Ugh, Jean would you quit it with the jokes? Get outta here before I kick your ass." Ymir shoos Jean away, while Krista let out a giggle.

"What about me? Can I go too?" Sasha asked Ymir. 

"You're not a _man_...." Ymir stated. Apparently, Sasha thought it was a great time for a joke. 

"But I'm a _wo-man_." She said making Connie snort. "Nice one Sasha." Connie gave Sasha a thumbs up. As Ymir shook her head in secondhand embarrassment. 

~

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

"There, there's the signal! It's finally over!" Armin yells in excitement. His eyes lightened up and smiling like a happy kid.

Jean let out a saddened sigh.

"What's wrong, Jean?" Krista asked sitting next to him.

"I'm just worried..." he puts his hand on his head.

"About what?" Armin turns around walking closer to Jean.

"I haven't seen Marco all day....you think he's alright?" He looked up at Armin.

"Of course, I saw him this morning. It's obvious he's ok." Armin didn't want to think of the worst.

"But how are you so sure he's 'ok' right now..." Jean's face fills with more worry.

"He's one of our best, how could-" Armin was interrupted by the door squeaking open.

Jean launched from his seat, grabbing onto Reiner's collar. "You know where Marco is don't you?"

"I..I don't really know....we lost him," Reiner uttered out in a rush. Making Jean's expression drop.

"So he's...." Jean looked like he was going to have a heart attack.

"We don't know where he is." Annie corrected.

Jean looked at Bertholdt for a real definite answer, but Bertholdt remains silent.

"Congratulations to the soldiers that made it out alive! Now go and collect your dead comrades' corpses!" They could hear Shadis giving orders from the hallway.

"I'm going out to find him." Jean marched pass the trio and out to the bloodstained streets of Trost.

The others follow suit. Mikasa was returning when she spotted Armin from afar.

"Armin! Where's Eren?" She rushes to him.

"He's in the infirmary....he got a shot to the chest." Armin watched as Mikasa's calm expression turns horrified.

"He should have listened to me, I gotta go see him." Mikasa was about to tear up but she managed to keep it to a minimum.

"Mikasa! You can't go see him right now!" Armin tries his best to hold Mikasa back.

"Why not?"

"The survey corps is keeping an eye on him right now and they're not letting anyone else in," Armin explains.

"Why are they doing that? Were his injuries that serious?" Mikasa shook Armin by the shoulder.

"No, he's healing surprisingly well, Mikasa." Armin gave Mikasa a warm smile. Mikasa nodded and gave a faint smile in return.

"We should get to cleaning." Armin leads Mikasa along the street of Trost.

~

**Location: The kingdom of Edein, Trost District**

Even though his job was to clean the town of corpses. Jean was too focused on finding Marco that he walked by the corpses of Thomas, Mina, and many of his other comrades without a second thought.

After looking around a bit. Jean found the person he was searching for.

Jean instantly regretted going to look for Marco. Wished he'd just excepted the fact that Marco was presumed missing.

"M...Marco is that you..." Jean stared at the limp body of his best friend. Blood bleeding from his chest and eye.

Jean steps closer to the body. Reaching towards the face.

A big scar runs down from Marco's forehead through his right eye to the bottom of his chin. There was so much blood that Jean could barely make out his face.

As for the body, a deep wound was secreting blood, staining Marco's uniform. The location of the wound made the last strand of hope Jean had vanished.

It was straight through the heart.

"Why wasn't I there!!! This would have never happened!!" Jean leaned over, hugging his now dead friend. Crying like crazy.

_Tap tap_

"Excuse me, soldier...have you seen my son?" A middle-aged lady tapped Jean on the back.

Jean clears his eyes of tears and stood up. "May I know the name of your son ma'am?" He choked through the remaining tears.

"It's Thomas, Thomas Wagner!" She said surveilling the streets.

"I'll go look for him, You should get back to your house," Jean told the lady. As he turns around and left Marco's body alone.

~

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Annie says as she looks down at all of the corpses among them.

"There's no point in apologizing." Reiner let out a sigh. "It's been two days of collect bodies, let's hurry up and get the funerals over with."

"Hey, you guys know who's this person is?" A cleaning officer walks by them. Then pointed to the body propped onto the building's wall.

"His name is Marco Bodt..." Bertholdt figured that the others won't answer so he said it.

"Marco Bodt, Was part the 104th training corp, Leader of squad 19, Son of Commander Bodt." The lady looked in her list of people.

"Your guy's work here is done, We'll take over from here." The lady said as the trio started to walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your time, and thank you for reading! :)


	9. The Cell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Survey Corps is here! Yah!

**Time: The 8th month of the 850th year. (A few days later)**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District (Infirmary)**

"Hanji, Check if the boy's still alive." The black-haired man told the ecstatic looking lady, poking her head through the bars. 

She unlocks the cell bars and walks over to check Eren's pulse. "Oh goodness Levi, My next test subject is alive!" She squeals in excitement. The thick browed man next to Levi let out a chuckle. 

"Hanji, we have like thousands of war prisoners to 'experiment' on." He reasoned. 

"Come on Erwin. They're oldies, and they expected to be tormented. So we're not got to give them what they want." Hanji said checking on Eren's wound. 

"So your plan is to 'torture' this teen?" Erwin crossed his arms. 

"Don't make it weird, Erwin." Levi facepalmed himself. 

"Ooh Ohh, he's waking up!" Hanji yells eagerly. As Eren rubs his eyes. "Where am I?" He said, voice cracking. 

Both Erwin and Levi stood up to take a closer look at Eren. "You are in the infirmary, Eren Jaeger." Erwin sat down on Eren's bed. "Do you remember why you're here?" 

"huh?" 

"Let me rephrase that for you, 'Do you know why you're here?'" Levi stood next to the bed. 

"Yeah, I just got shot through the chest! I was about to die!"

"Yelling doesn't help your situation here, Jaeger." Levi sits down on Eren's bed and reached for his wound.

"What the heck are you doing? Hands off!" Eren brushes Levi's hand away.

"You don't feel any pain?" Levi tried asking instead.

"What?"

"Don't 'what?' Me, Eren. Answer the question."

"No, I don't feel any pain." Eren touches the place where his wound was supposed to be. Nothing....he felt no scars.

Just dried blood residue was left on his hand.

"How do you explain this, Jaeger? Explain how you healed up so quickly?" Erwin was the one to ask this time.

"How am I supposed to know? I was unconscious the whole time." Eren said in an annoyed tone, crossing his arms.

"Hanji, do the honors." Erwin signaled Hanji. She looked at Eren in the most creepy way possible and pulled out a small knife.

Eren instinctively backed away, while still on the bed. "What are you doing?" He said frantically.

"Oh, this won't hurt a bit, hun." She said as she slashes Eren's forearm.

"Ouch! You should have said it will hurt like a bitch! What the fuck was that for!" Eren growls holding onto his forearm for dear life.

Not soon later his forearm started to smoke up. "What the heck?" Eren let's go of his forearm.

He watches as his own flesh started to regenerate and healed before his every eye. 

"So he  _ is _ one of those...." Erwin looked at both Hanji and Levi. 

"One of what? Those Gallian bastards?! I was born here!" Eren got enraged. Trying to get off the bed. But Levi held him back with his iron grip. 

"Born here or not, you're going to trial." Erwin stood up ready to leave. With Levi still holding Eren back. "Like hell, I'm not going to trial! It's gonna be rigged!" 

"No fear, Eren. I'm on your side." Hanji said to hold onto Eren's right hand. 

"We, the survey corps will act as your defense," Erwin explains to Eren. "We're going against the military police." 

"Why the Military Police? Do they think I'm a spy or something?"

"That might be the case. They were actually just going to lock you up but since Hanji protested, they decided to give you a fair chance." Erwin gave a lengthy explanation.

"They also think that you're a threat to the king," Levi added.

"A threat to the king? The king doesn't even do anything for the kingdom! He just sits around while his citizens get slaught-" Hanji covers Eren's mouth.

"Watch what you're saying!!" Erwin's voice boomed throughout the room, making even Levi flinch a little.

"Anything here you say can be put against you! You're fortunate that it's only us in the vicinity!"

Eren loosens his muscles and stays put.

"Oh yeah, I forgot the church runs everything. The king is just their puppet...." Eren really didn't give a shit at this point.

"Let's get out of here, this place smells like rotten flesh. Hanji, tell the guards to give this kid a bath." Levi said stepping out of the cell, heading straight for the door.

"Remember to be on your best behavior tomorrow, say anything stupid and your life is over." Erwin's way of talking is really reminded Eren of his mom.

"Wait...the the trial's tomorrow?!" Eren stood up from his bed.

"Correct! And remember that we're on your side, Eren." Hanji squeezed Eren's shoulder, shaking him a bit and then proceeded to walk out of the cell with Erwin.

"We'll come and get you tomorrow." Erwin bid his last words and walks away followed by Hanji.

~

Finally, the guards came to Eren's rescue.

"Hey, did you guys bring water?" Eren sat up from his bed.

"You can drink all the water you want in the shower." One of the guards unlocks the cell and started to drag Eren out.

"Man, an escort to the shower? What an honor." Eren said sarcastically to the two guards.

Eren thought of clearing his mind out before the trial tomorrow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm really excited to be starting a new arc of this story, I hope you're going to enjoy what I have in store for you. :)


	10. The Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren vs the people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this early because I'm going to the doctor tomorrow (just an eye appointment), I hope you enjoy reading this chapter (even though Eren is suffering...)  
> Lastly, I'm sorry for the possible horrible depiction of a court trial...:(
> 
> Anyway, have a great and safe day!! ^_^

**Time: The 8th month of the 850th year (the next day)**

**Location: Drøkan District Courthouse**

The room was full of suspends when Eren was dragged out by the guards to get bolted to the ground by a metal pole and chains on his hands.

"May the prosecutor state their claim!" Zackly sat down on his chair on the podium.

No, Zackly isn't a judge, but since he runs the three military regiment, he was best suited to deal with this 'problem'

"I, Nile Dok of the Military Police. Claims that the defendant, Eren Jaeger is guilty of possible treason and should be sent to live in prison." Nile paused to take a breath.

"I have very strong evidence of the potential threat Eren brings to this kingdom." Nile looks at Erwin, who was standing on the other side of the room.

"Not so fast, Nile. Let's hear the defense's claims first." 

"I, Erwin Smith a commander of the Scouting Legion. Claims that the Defendant is _not_ guilty of treason."

"May the prosecutor call up a witness to the stand."

"I would like to call up Hanji Zoë, to the stand." Hanji, who have eagerly awaited for this to come. Quickly made her way to the stand to testify. 

"I, Hanji (Hange) Zoë of the Survey Corps, will say the truth and nothing but the truth." She puts her hand up, swearing the vows. 

"Hanji, You have seen Eren's 'powers' in action...correct?" Nile puts emphasis on the 'power' part. 

"Yeah. it was incredible!" Levi shook his head at Hanji's enthusiasm. 

"And what exactly were those powers?" 

"I'm happy to dem-" Eren cut Hanji off. 

"Hey! Let me speak! This is _my_ trial dammit!" Eren yelled, struggling against the pole that held him back. 

"Don't you see his resistance, Judge? He is a definite threat to our kingdom...I bet he's in one of those cults you say! That freely speak their words against our Lord and savior!" The man the kingdom knew was pastor Nick, spoke out. 

"Remember those cult prisoners?! Well, the rumor is that they escaped! How do we know that _he_ is not one of them?!" 

"Firstly Eren's a citizen of the Edein Kingdom...those prisoners weren't our citizens..." Erwin stated from the sidelines. 

"Urgh!" Nick growled out in anger. 

Nile looked at the now infuriated Pastor, who was pointing and glaring at Eren like he was an animal. 

"Skip this useless trial, and get to imprisonment already!" 

"I'm sorry Pastor Nick, but if I hear another outburst from you, I'm afraid I'd have to remove you from the courtroom." Zackly sighed, adjusting his glasses. 

"Shall I proceed with the demonstration, sir?" Hanji asked Zackly, now standing in front of Eren. 

"Please do..." 

Eren glared at the figure in front of him. _[Don't you dare..]_ He thought, looking into her somewhat warm brown eyes behind her huge google like glasses. 

Hanji winked at him... _[WTF]_ Eren thought in return. 

Then proceeded to withdraw out a small but very sharp knife from behind her back pocket, ready to slash Eren with it. 

Mikasa from the sidelines had a problem with whatever Hanji was about to do, She was about to step over the benches and end that hoe. 

Thanks to God, Armin and Jean were holding Mikasa back, possibly preventing an all-out brawl in the courthouse. 

"It won't hurt too much.." Hanji whispered as she held her knife. 

It was a lie, since she full-on swung the blade in Eren's face...

It's alright though because Eren managed to catch the blade in between his teeth. _[Bish, you thought]_ Eren let out a light chuckle with the knife still between his teeth. 

"Let go of the blade, Eren. We've talked about this, just do what we want and you'll get out of this not lock up." Hanji muttered trying to take back her knife from Eren's mouth. 

Eren was being stubborn as hell, refusing to listen to Hanji's order...or rather request. 

A few seconds later he felt a warm liquid dripping from his mouth. It was indeed blood. 

Hanji smiled as her task had already been done for her. "Behold your honor, in any minute now his wounded mouth will heal itself." She said looking at Zackly, gesturing to Eren's bloody mouth. 

Zackly nodded, standing up from his chair and stepping down to where Eren was to more closely observe for himself. 

Eren knew what he had got himself into, why are they trying to expose him? wouldn't that only do harm? He didn't get how Hanji or rather the whole survey corp would benefit from him being able to heal himself. 

If the Military Police wanted Eren locked up because of his powers and possible connections to the Gallian Kingdom, why would the Survey Corps trust and want to 'help' him? 

_{Weird, why isn't my wound healing yet?}_ Eren thought, still feeling blood gushing out of his mouth. 

It was getting a bit hard to breathe, since his head was held low, Eren spitted out the knife, in order to take a needed breath of fresh air. 

"Heads up, Jaeger," Zackly ordered but doesn't dare to step any closer to the kneeling teenager. 

Levi on the sidelines looked at the presumed comrades of Eren. One caught his eyes. An oriental girl looking like she was about to break some bones. Her eyes filled with anger but she remained motionless, standing there silently. 

_[Damn, she has good self-control...unlike this maggot.]_ Levi thought to step out to the front of the court. 

"Captain Levi..." Zackly uttered as Levi makes his way closer to Eren, who still has his head down. 

"Listen closely Jaeger...if someone with authority over you says to 'put your head up'...you put your head up... and if they say 'go jump in a fire'...you, without hesitation go jump in a damn fire..."

Eren could see now that the tip of Levi's boots was right in front of him. 

"What if there's no *cough* fire for me to jump into?" Eren choked out, coughing up some blood onto the ground. 

"Then..You..Make...A..Fire...And...Jump..In...It...You...good..for..nothing. MORON!" Levi growled in between kicking Eren in the gut and face. 

"L...Levi...I think we should be....um a little nicer to our possible future ally..." Hanji nudged Levi in his ribcage, But that didn't seem to faze him, as he kept on kicking poor Eren.   
  
Erwin, standing with his arms crossed, Looked over to see that the Asian girl...was once again enraged. He couldn't help but feel the same as her...but not about Eren...it was Levi that enraged him. 

"STOP IT RIGHT NOW LEVI!" Erwin shouted across the room, making Levi end his assault on Eren. 

Mikasa's nerves were put to the test as Eren's coughing and wheezing worried her more and more. 

_[Why won't this trial end already..] Mikasa_ wished as she watches Eren cough out a loose tooth. _  
_


	11. The Verdict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Eren go free?

**Time: The 8th month of the 850th year (the same day)**

**Location: Still in Drøkan District Courthouse**

Mikasa feels her blood boiling as she watches one of the guys from the Survey Corps make their way over to the short dude.

Sighing as she felt someone patting her shoulder as if to comfort her. It was Armin obviously...Guess Jean was still heartbroken about what happened to Marco to offer her some needed comforting.

"You went too far, Levi..." Erwin murmured to Levi while eyeing Zackly to see his reaction.

Zackly's eyes were shaky, looking at the abnormally large amount of blood coming from Eren.

"Ar...are you sure he's not dead?" Zackly questioned as Eren was practically motionless.

"Don't worry your honor...I bet he'll be regenerating any minute now." At least Hanji still has a positive outlook on this situation though.

_ {I hope so...I could feel the defeat already...I can literally feel Nile and the rest of the Military Police rolling their eyeballs right now...}  _ Erwin was having an internal mental breakdown, Looking over to Levi, who looked as bored as ever.

"Weakass bitch...can't even take a beating..and telling me how this kid is going to be of benefit to us, Hanji?" Levi questioned.

Zackly nodded in agreement, looking at Hanji. "Yes, Please tell us why Eren will not be a threat to our kingdom..."

Hanji eyes lighted up, clapping her hands like a seal or a happy child, lightly jumping up and down with enthusiasm. "Gladly, Your honor..." She started.

_ [Here she goes..don't fuck it up..] _ Levi would roll his eyes but he's too tired of the bull crap that is this trial right now to try.

"First, we can get to know more about the powers that the Gallians possesses, since from what I know Eren has the same powers as them..."

"Please elaborate on those 'powers'." Nile could be heard asking.

"What we know for now is that they can regenerate themselves in a blink of an eye, so that's why they seem to be immortalized, but...get this they also age very slowly or maybe they choose to grow whenever they want to..."

"So which is it? aging slowly or do they choose to age..." Nile wanted clarification.

"My research team isn't very sure yet...But a few of them are able to do this thing where they form crystals that cover their entire body, isn't that cool?" Hanji responded.

"So not all of them can create crystals?" Nile was really pushing Hanji to slip up.

"No...actually some of the prisoners even grew back a different colored eye...weird.." Hanji scratched her head...there was much to be learned about their powers.

"Maybe it's part of their DNA..." An unknown voice was heard. The rest of the court people turned to the source of that voice.

It was Armin...

"State your name, young lad.." Zackly ordered.

"Armin Arlert, sir!" Armin said slamming his fist to his chest.

"Are you acquainted with Eren Jaeger?" Zackly asks, stepping closer to the boy.

"Yes sir, we were friends since childhood." Armin didn't know whether to look him in the eyes or not.

"I don't think it is best suited for you to make time for this kid, your honor, his testimony might be flawed.."

_ [here he go again....] _ Erwin sighed and shook his head.

"Now now Nile, I'm not going to ask the boy a personal question about the defendant so keep your trap shut..."

"So...what were you saying about DNA?" Zackly turned his attention back to Armin.

"I was trying to say that regenerating a different eye color from your original one isn't really something that is very shocking..." Armin started to explain himself, feeling confident in his theory.

"Not very shocking?" Zackly and the rest of the courtroom seem to be very interested in what Armin said.

"Well I'm no scientist but I think that because we know that we either inherit our mom's or our dad's traits when being created..." Armin stopped because he thought his vocabulary might be a bit advanced for them so he rephrased.

"Keep going...it's getting interesting.." Hanji encouraged him on.

Take a deep breath Armin was ready to say his somewhat long theory...

"Let's just say that mom has  _ brown eyes _ and dad has  _ blue eyes _ , the more  _ dominant _ eye color will most likely be passed to their children....so if  _ brown eyes are dominant _ in this case (being their normal eye color) then in the process of regenerating their  _ genes _ might get  _ messed up _ and generate back a  _ blue eye _ instead..."

Hanji nodded her head...seeming to understand Armin's explanation.

"Man... _ I _ should have thought of that...We definitely need you on our team!" Hanji's voice sounded very enthusiastic, thinking about having this Armin kid on the Survey Corps...

_ [one thing at a time..Hanji..we still need to get his friend (Eren) on our side first...]  _ Erwin thought, looking at the still unconscious Eren.

"Stop wasting our precious time, maggot..." Levi stepped over the Eren, kicking him in the ribs...hard

"oof-" Eren yelped out, coughing up some now dried up blood.

"Oh gosh! Look look look!" Hanji quickly kneeled down to Eren's level and brushed his hair out of the way, revealing a lot of dried up blood all over his face.

"Does anyone have any water?!" she called out.

"Pastor Nick might have some..." Nile said calmly, glancing at the Pastor, who was tightly gripping onto his bottle of holy water...why? to keep them thirsty hoes away, duh.

"No way am I going to give this to that devil of a child." Nick scowled at them.

Hanji sighed, stepping up to the pastor and extending her arm towards him. "The water please, let's cleanse the demon inside him and bring him to the light..." She stated, looking at Nick with an intimidating stare.

The pastor hesitated to hand over the water...still grasping it firmly in his old wrinkly hands.

With a swift swing of her hand, Hanji snatched the bottle away from the pastor in a blink of an eye. "Got it..." Hanji smirked with confidence while waving the bottle of holy water in front of Nick tauntingly.

As the pastor growled in the background, Hanji walked over back to Eren and splashed the water on his face.

"Ugh! what the fuck was that?!" Eren snarled, holding his face in pain, as the dry blood slowly washes off his face.

_ [Serves you right, suicidal bastard] _ Jean grinned from the sidelines, watching Eren suffer.  _ [What is that horrid smell?] _ Jean thought as he immediately put his hands up to cover his face.

"What is all this smoke?" Zackly questioned, waving his hand in front of his face to diminish the large amount of smoke that had started to fill the courtroom.

"He's healing himself, your honor," Hanji said, coughing through all of the smog.

"Man, you certainly made a dent in his face if he's smoking up this much..." Erwin muttered to Levi.

"Good." Levi bluntly responded, his voice sounded a bit odd as he was plugging his nose with his hand.

After a few minutes of coughing and wheezing the smoke that surrounds that court finally faded away.

As soon as the smoke from Hanji's area had gone away, she quickly rushed to Eren to check on his face. "All heal..." Hanji smiled with glee as she observed Eren's scarless face.

"So what you're saying is true..." Zackly said looking over Hanji's shoulder at Eren, who was trying to avoid eye contact with the judge.

"Zackly!" They heard the Pastor holler from above.

"What is it this time?" Zackly sighed.

"Would you hurry this trial up?! My old man's legs can't take this any longer!" The pastor's complaint made several of the training corps members chuckle out of amusement.

"Nile, get him a chair or something.." Zackly ordered, turning his attention to Eren again.

"So Eren Jaeger's your name...They say you're a registered citizen of the Edein Kingdom...right?" Zackly asked.

"I was fucking born here! And I've never been farther than the Wilshire Woods! I would never even think of betraying our beloved kingdom!" Eren started to get up but was pulled back by the poll anchoring him down, Tears started to form in his eyes.

Even though all of the rage in Eren's tear-filled eyes, Zackly could see that there's a hint of sincerity...

"Alright...we have reached a verdict..." Zackly got up and went back to his stand.

The whole courtroom became eerily silent as Zackly took a deep breath.

Babum Babum

Mikasa felt like her heart was about to burst out of her rib cage, the suspense was killing her.

_ [Let Eren go free, please let him go free] _ She wished over and over.

"Eren Jaeger...." Zackly started.

Nile felt a drop of sweat dripping down from his forehead, grinding his teeth together...full of stress.

"....is NOT GUILTY of possible treason and shall be set free to do whatever he chooses!"

Erwin and Mikasa sigh in relief as Nile and Nick growled in anger.

"The court is adjourned!" With a slam of Zackly's makeshift gavel, The trial came to an end.

Finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my story!  
> Have a safe and happy day! :)


	12. The Inkling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren meets the Survey Corps?

**Time: The 8th month of the 850th year (the day after the Trial)**

**Location: Survey Corps HQ, Drøkan District**

"Eren, meet the squad!" Hanji clapped cheerfully as she leads Eren to the table in their headquarter. 

"I haven't agreed to join anything yet though." Eren tries to back away but was stopped by Hanji. 

"What's the harm in meeting some new people, Eren...it's not like I'm trying to get you to join.." Hanji nervously chuckled after what she said. 

Hanji started listing out names as Eren sat at the end of their table. 

"That's Eld...second in command." gesturing to the guy with the fold bun on his head, he nodded as a greeting. 

"And Gunther..." The tan guy gave Eren a wary look, making Eren more uncomfortable than he already was. 

"This cute girl is Petra." Hanji sounded more enthusiastic than when she was introducing the boys. The ginger smiled kindly at Eren. 

"....." 

"What about me, Hanji? huh? what about Oluo, the great?" The old looking dude boasted about himself. 

"Oh..that's Oluo...you might wanna watch out for his tongue..." Hanji whispered to Eren. 

_[tongue? and I thought the nose guy before the trial was weird..]_

"Lastly I'm Hanji..." she pointed to herself. "The short one is Levi, our captain." Levi glared at Hanji for calling him short. 

"And the bushy brows belong to our leading commander, Erwin." Finally, Hanji had finished introducing all of the members to Eren. 

"so...what am I doing here again?" Eren questioned, he swore the introductions took at least 10 minutes or so...such a waste of time.

"Which branch are you planning to join?" Erwin asked. 

"The Military Police is definitely out of the picture..." Eren sighed, crossing his arms.

"So the Garrison and Survey Corps is left. What do you choose?" Hanji excitedly grabbed Eren by the shoulder from behind.

"Haven't really decided yet...but what do the Garrison do anyway?" To be honest, Eren didn't pay any attention in class, only made it through because of the help of Mikasa. 

"They maintain and guard our borders, they also deal with refugees," Erwin explained. 

"Sounds boring..." Eren said in a bratty tone. 

"So does that mean you're gonna join us?" You could tell Hanji really wanted Eren on their side...or maybe she wants to do some...experimenting on him. 

"Actually I've been admiring the Survey Corps for a long time now, but now that your leading commander kicked the shit outta me yesterday...I don't know anymore..." Eren face made the 'too bad' expression. (I don't really know how to describe it so bare with me here)

"Tsk" Levi made a 'who do you think you are' face and slightly turned away from the table. 

Hanji saddened hearing Eren's criticism, her grin turned to a frown. 

"But will you think about it though?" Hanji pleaded.

"I guess...Give me some time.." Eren said starting to stand up from the table, looking at the entirety of the Survey Corps. 

Some looking like they would welcome him with open arms (especially Hanji) and some would rather die than have him on the team...(probably Levi...definitely Levi)

Erwin nodded, Letting Eren exit their headquarters. 

~

**Time: The 8th month of the 850th year (the day after the Trial)**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District (Cantine/Lunch Room)**

"What's so great about Eren anyway?" Jean could be heard complaining about Eren in the cantine. 

Armin thought hard about what Jean said.

"Armin...tell me. What do you see in Eren?" 

"I guess he's really determined...it's something I admire from him.." Armin said quietly, picking at his food. 

"What makes him so great that the Survey Corps wants to associate themselves with him? He's no leader...not even a competent soldier.." 

"But you rank lower than him...Jean." Armin didn't really want to upset Jean, but it's the truth...

"That's only because Mikasa helped him..." Jean really wanted to get the point off that Eren's a loser.

"And...you didn't get help from Marco?" Jean's face turned gray at the mention of Marco. 

"No..not really, I never asked Marco for help...but when the finals were coming up Marco said he did intentionally 'bad' for me to get a higher rank than him..." Jean sighed out, pushing his plate of food away. 

Armin didn't know what to say or comment about that, so he just nodded. 

"Sometimes...he's too nice for his own good..." Jean murmured, then growled...

"He better not die because of a stupid-ass reason!" Jean burst out, angrily slamming his fist on the table. Making Armin flinch in the process.

What a great time for that because the trio...had entered the cantine.

Reiner swallowed his saliva as he entered the room, going to the line to get his lunch, as the rest settled down at a table nearby. 

Armin tried to be nice and waved at them even though he knew that they wouldn't care. He guessed they got back from a training mission as they still have their weapons on them, dropping by the cantine for a bite before returning to their dorms. 

While observing Armin noticed something off...especially with Annie. The sword she was carrying was familiar somehow.

Now let me tell you that all of their swords, guns, or any weapons looked practically identical to one another. So why did Armin seem to recognize the sword that Annie was carrying?

"That carving...I made that...for Marco.." Armin shakingly muttered to himself, looking at intricately carved scabbard holding 'Annie's' sword.

"Why does...Annie has that?" 

Armin couldn't keep his eyes off the trio for the whole time they were in the cantine. _[Why are they avoiding eye contact with people? There's definitely something going on here...]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I've been on writer's block for about a week so I'm sadly not going to post of Friday as usual (to catch up) but I will post as soon as possible. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you have a great and safe day!!!


	13. The Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many decisions were made in just one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter is just one day late, but I'm gonna not be posting on schedule (but at my own pace).   
> I hope you enjoy this chapter and stay safe! 
> 
> Love ya!

**Time: The 8th month of the 850th year (Last week of August) (The day of the bonfire)**

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District**

"Eren, if you're joining the Survey Corps I'm going too." Mikasa declared hearing that Eren had made up his mind.

"You're not my mother, you don't have to babysit me!" Eren growled, shifting away from Mikasa as they sat on the stairs. 

_ {Then I guess I'll go into the Survey Corps too...] _ Armin thought as he stood next to them. They probably didn't expect him to be joining them, because he's not in the top 10...until now...

Shadis has recently informed Armin that he will be in the top 10 and there's an open spot for him to join a branch...all due to Marco's passing. 

Armin didn't really know how to react...but he was obviously not happy, if he's gonna make it to the top ten, he would have wanted to do that on his own..not because his comrade died...

_ [I'll have to make the best of my position...I won't let his death be in vain} _

~

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District (Boys' Dorm)**

It was time for the bonfire. 

A time to remember they're fallen comrades, they were required to go...no matter how painful or time-wasting it might be for them. 

"Eren...let's go." Eren would have expected Armin to say that but it was Mikasa. 

"M...Mikasa, why are you at the boys' dorm?!" Eren stuttered as he was taken aback a bit. 

"You're late for the bonfire...Commander Shadis told me to come and get you..." Mikasa said, opening the door of the dorm for Eren. 

Eren said nothing back, stepping out of the dorm, headed to the designated location. 

~

**Location: Drøkan Military Base, Drøkan District (Outer Fields)**

Jean stood there, blankly staring at the blazing fire before him. 

Hearing footsteps behind him, made his blood boil... _ [Can't believe this bastard is late...got no respect] _ Jean squeezed his hands until his knuckles turned white. 

"How dare you be late!" Jean rushed to Eren, grabbing onto his collar, but Mikasa wasn't going to let that happen, pushing Jean off of Eren before things got too heated. 

"Late? I didn't even wanna come..." Eren rolled his eyes. 

"Roll your eyes again and I'll roll your whole head!" Jean warned, pointing his index finger that Eren tauntingly.

**A/N: Thank you Toph (Avatar) for giving us the iconic line...okay back to the story**

"Since when do you care about these suicidal bastards anyway?" asked the suicidal bastard himself. 

"Ever since Marco decided to join them!" Jean growled, crouching down in the ground. 

"What.." Eren bewilderedly looked around at the others. 

Sasha and Connie were having a mental breakdown.

Krista and Armin were trying to not cry but failing pretty hard. 

Ymir and Mikasa stood there blankly.

As for Reiner, Annie and Bertholdt...they kept on looking at the ground, kicking their feet at the dirt from time to time.  _ [what do they have to hide?]  _ Eren thought, their behavior lately has been a bit odd. 

"You mean...he's..." Eren started to put the pieces together in his mind.

"d..de.." He couldn't bring himself to say it. Even though he and Marco weren't that close, he still cared nonetheless. 

"Don't even say it." Jean snickered. 

It felt weird...it's like the first time Eren actually felt sorry of Jean...

"I still can't believe he died...he's one our best...how could this happen?" Eren muttered, it felt unreal, as he couldn't bring himself to talk about Marco in past-tense. 

"Didn't I say 'don't say it'?!" Jean growled on the ground, his voice cracking up.

"Just put them in! it doesn't matter! just put them in the fire!" They heard someone yell as the cleaning people started chucking corpses into the fire. 

They watched as the flame gets higher and higher as more bodies are being thrown in. 

"w...why are there so many? I think I'm gonna puke..." Sasha said, taking in the horrid smell exerting from the fire. 

"I...I...I wanna go home..." Connie dropped to his knees, holding his head like it's about to explode. 

Crackle Crackle

Somehow hearing the fire roar before him, made Jean's mind a bit peaceful...Looking down at his feet, next to them were some broken bone fragments...without realizing, Jean bent down to observe them. 

"Are these your bones, Marco? Or are these just one of those losers'?" Jean picked the bone fragments lying on the ground. 

ROAR! 

"Woah!" Jean flinched, backing away as the fire in front of him got violent, As sparks flew out, almost catching him on fire. 

"Jean! Careful!" Armin yelled out with concern. 

"I'm alright!" Jean got up on two feet again. 

_ [So...is this how you respond to my question...Marco? a bit violent, don't you think?] _ Jean tried to make himself smile a little...Marco wouldn't have wanted Jean to wreck himself because of his death...

"I think I know what branch I'm joining now...Marco..." Jean looked up that the blazing fire, with a bit of confidence in his face. 

Jean turned around and looked at the rest...

"Guys...I think I might just have an epiphany..." Jean announced, with tears rolling down his eyes. 

"....I'm joining the Survey Corps." 


	14. The Expedition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Eren finally get to go on his long-awaited expedition?

**Time: The 9th month of the 850th year (a few days after the bonfire)**

**Location: Survey Corps HQ, Drøkan District**

"We're going on an expedition today!" Hanji excitedly clapped her hands together like a seal. 

Eren was called in early that morning to discuss Eren joining their branch. They told him that he needed to be trusted first...so they're going to put that to the test today...

"Yes, finally!" Eren looked at Hanji, and they exchanged celebratory dance, jumping up and down like little kids...

_ [damn, where did his enthusiasm come from?]  _ Erwin raised one of his thicc eyebrows, looking at the two. 

_ [two faced] _ Levi rolled his eyes at them. 

"Let's just get this shit over with..." Levi stated, standing up and headed to the door. 

With the creak of the door, Petra appeared on the other side, blocking Levi's way. 

"Oh hey there Petra...mind getting the troops-" 

"Captain...did you forget something?" Petra nagged, it was always something she was good at. 

"......what?" 

"It's Monday.." Petra crossed her arms. 

Hanji's celebration came to an end. "It's Monday?" She pouted and looked sadly at the now confused Eren. 

"Let's get it over with..." Erwin sighed, making his way to the closet in the room. 

"What happens on Mondays?" Eren looked around confused. 

"Enough talk, get to cleaning.." Levi handed Eren a mop out of nowhere. "Why?" 

"Because we always clean on Mondays...it's kinda Levi's protocol around here.." Hanji said as the giant amount of clean products fell all over her. "Ahh!" She yells falling on her butt. 

"Oh yeah...Hanji, you should reorganize that closet while you're at it.." Erwin suggested, nudging on Eren to get to work. 

"God, if you guys weren't so messy you guys wouldn't even need to clean at all...I'm here to fight not to clean," Eren complained as he dropped the mop onto the ground. 

"Well then get the fuck out of here...we don't need a lazy bum like you." Levi bluntly said while sweeping the dusty floor. 

Eren let out a frustrated growl, picked up his fallen mop and started to aggressively mop the floor. "How long is this gonna take..." Eren snarled. 

"If you wanna...you can get your friends to help.." Erwin quietly suggested to Eren, watching his face light up in relief. 

"I'm on it." Eren hurried to the training base. 

<one cleaning montage later>

Luckily, somehow Eren was able to convince almost everyone, And the task got done in no time at all...sorta...

Now it was dusk and the possibility of going on that highly anticipated expedition was down the drain. 

Hearing Levi yawns make Hanji frown even more...

"Captain...what about the expedition.," Hanji asked with absolutely no enthusiasm and didn't want to get disappointed by Levi's possible rejection. 

Levi turned to look at the beautiful orange sky, the sides of his mouth wanted to pull up but he resisted. 

"Fine...They'll be at their most active now...Tell the kids to get ready..." Hanji's eyes lit up, turning around to give Eren a nod. 

This is what Eren was waiting for all of this time...finally.

~

**Location: Near Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"All Right, get in a line! I'm going to slip you all into squads and THERE WILL BE NO COMPLAINING!" Erwin exerted his authority on the new members of the Survey Corps. 

......<Squad overview>

Squad 1 (with Levi): Eren, Jean, Armin, Oluo, Petra

Squad 2 (with Erwin): Reiner, Bertholdt, Ymir, Krista, Eld

Squad 3 (with Hanji): Connie, Sasha, Mikasa, Gunther

"We'll be spilling up in the forest and when you see the signal it will be the time to regroup, Be prepared to meet at the Westward side nearest to our kingdom's borders!" With some more brief explanations by Erwin, they headed towards the Wilshire Woods on horsebacks. 

"I can't believe I'm on Eren's squad..." Jean growled while riding on his horse. 

"Hey, You said you won't let Marco's death go to waste so lighten up..." Armin rode parallel to Jean. 

"ugh...that's different..." Jean murmured, looking to his side seeing that Hanji had caught up to them on her own horse. 

"Marco...Marco..." Hanji muttered the name. "Like Marco Polo? I read a kid one of his books once!" Hanji yelled to Jean and Armin. 

Jean wasn't about to say anything but Hanji's facial expression was beckoning him to respond. "He's a friend of mine...at least he was.." Jean was getting all choked up, even though it's been a while since his best friend died.

"He was?...." Hanji paused a bit and then soon realized.

"I'm so sorry..." She said, her eyes full of sympathy. Then rode her horse next to Levi in front of the rest. 

"Levi." Hanji whispered, trying to get his attention. 

"Out with it..." Levi sighed in return. 

"Does the name 'Marco' ring a bell to you?" The question made Levi snicker. 

"Why should it? There's like a thousand Marcos out there..." Levi yawned out, it was getting dark. 

"I...I don't know.." Hanji turned her attention to Erwin who looked like he didn't even hear the question, so she gave up.

Sighing, she thought to herself  _ [maybe I'm thinking too much into this...] _

~

**Location: Deep inside Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"We've got the prisoner back at home rotting in jail already...time to regroup..." A campfire surrounded by Gallian troops was ready to pounce into action. 

The soldier nodded to their commander's order, turning around as they grip a signal gun in their hand. "it's time to go home..." 


	15. The Pitfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a trap!

**Time: The 9th month of the 850th year (Night Time)**

**Location: inside Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

Eren slowly blinks his tired eyes, looking at the starry night sky. 

"Tired already, Eren?" Jean said riding his horse up to Eren, with a taunting smirk on his face. 

"...say whatever you want...horse face I'm not falling for your- Ahhh!" 

Crash!

"Hahaha!" Jean cackled as he stops his horse. 

"Eren!" Armin maneuvered his way to Eren, jumping down from his horse. 

"Who put this stupid pit here?!" Eren yells from down inside the pit, his horse was gone for...

Ignoring Eren's question Armin yells "Can you climb up?!" As loud as he could. 

"Climb up? you're crazy right?" Jean commented, looking at the depth of the hole in the ground. 

"You're right, we need a rope or something that we could throw to him and pull him out..." Armin said looking through the package on their horses...nothing but spare food.

"Nah, how bout we just leave him here...he's wasting our time," Jean said getting back on his horse, ready to leave. 

But with just a few steps Jean's horse halted, giving Jean some major whiplash. "What the fuck Armin-" 

"Jean! Can you stay here with Eren while I go get some help from captain Levi?!" 

_ [gosh did he even hear what I just said?]  _

"What?! No-...oh fine." Jean complied, watching as Armin went on ahead. 

~

"Levi...You should slow down so the others can catch up.." Petra suggested, seeing that the rest of the boys are nowhere to be seen behind them. 

"Come on Petra, we're here on a mission..we're not going to worry about babysitting some junio-" Oulo bit his tongue at the last part of his sentence. "Ai-" He stupidly bit his tongue again, just checking if he can still feel it in his mouth. 

Petra shook her head, ready to turn back around, making Levi sigh hearing her horse change its course. 

"Captain!" Petra heard Armin yell while riding on his horse, approaching them. 

"What?" Levi turned around. "His face is full of worry...did something bad happened?" Petra commented looking at the panicked face of Armin. 

"Eren got stuck down in a pit!" Armin yelled, already turning his horse around, ridding back. 

"A pit?" Petra looked at both Oluo and Levi with concern. 

"It's a trap..." Levi hitting the reins on his horse, rushing towards the boys. 

"And why are we goi-" Yep, he bit his tongue again...

"....going towards the frickin' trap!!" Oluo finished his sentence, following closely behind Levi. 

"Those three idiots ain't gonna even last a day out here...I knew this was a bad idea..." Levi mumbled, regretting his choice to go on this mission...

~

"Jean! Just pull me out!" Eren was getting sick of the musty smell from inside the hole. 

"Oh, is that a damsel in distress I hear?" Jean mocked Eren from above. 

"Urgh! Just pull me out already! This might be a trap!" Eren growled in frustration, hoping that the last part of his sentence wasn't true. 

"And you're gonna put me in with you, right? No way!" Jean crossed his arms like a kid. 

"Guys!" They heard Armin yelled as he returned. 

"Do you get the captain?" Jean asked approaching Armin. 

"Yea-" 

Armin was interrupted by a screaming Levi. "One of you assholes pull that maggot out of the pit right now!!" Levi jumped off of his horse, running towards the hole in the ground. 

Without hesitation Armin and Jean followed Levi's command, with Levi holding onto the rim of the hole, with all 5 of them holding hands creating a chain of people, they were able to reach Eren and pull him out. 

"You gotta be more careful next time, Eren..." Petra breathed hard as she brushes the dirt off her uniform. 

With Eren safe for now...Levi was already on his horse, ready to get going. "Let's go...they're on our tail...We must get back to our meeting site immediately." 

"Who-" Jean stopped as he was almost shot by an arrow from afar. "Shit!" he yelled out in terror, looking at the arrow that had missed him by only a few centimeters now puncturing the ground. 

"I said 'Let's go'!" Levi repeated himself as the rest got on their horses hurrying their way out of the forest. 

"Who was that?" Armin asked in place of Jean...who was in shock after what just happened. 

"Gallians! they roam our woods at nighttime!" Petra hollers, looking back at the boys, who are following closely behind their seniors. 

~

"Tch...cheap shot.." The soldier complained as they missed Jean. 

"But no worries my brethren, it's just the beginning...time to bring you home..." The soldier leaped down from the tree, traveling their way through the forest with ease. 

Stopping at the clear point of the forest, where there were no trees. Raising their arm with a flare gun in hand. 

BANG!

A puff of yellow luminescent powder was visible to the squads. 

"Must be Erwin! Let's go!" Hanji redirected her horse, followed by the rest of her squad consisting of Connie, Sasha, Mikasa, and Gunther. 

"A flare?" Erwin questioned, looking up at the sky. "But what...I didn't...we need to get back!" He hollers as he whips the reins on his horse. 

"Aww..." Krista as she drops the wood they were planning to collect. Ymir patted her back to comfort her while helping Krista up her horse. 

As they ride towards the meeting site none of them noticed that Reiner and Bertholdt have disappeared from the group. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A moment of silence for Hanji...our best woman. You shall not be forgotten.


	16. The Onset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School has taken over my life...please save me.
> 
> (I'm still bad at describing action scenes, sorry)

**Time: The 9th month of the 850th year (Midnight almost to Dawn)**

**Location: Erwin's Meeting site near Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"Achoo!" Krista felt the hairs behind her head go up...not a good sign. 

"You okay, babe?" Ymir slowers her horse to check on Krista. The small girl just nodded in return. 

"Hah, you still think she's your girlfriend or something?" Jean teased as they all stood at the meeting site. 

"Ooof-" Ymir smacked Jean in the back of the head. "Urgh.." he snarled, scratching the spot where she hit him. 

"Least I have a girl, Jean." Ymir sassed back at the boy, making him roll his eyes. 

"Besides you got a thing for Mikasa, so why not pursue her?" Ymir reasoned. 

"H..how did you-" Jean's cheeks turned light pink. 

"uuu, Jean and Mikasa sittin' on a tree K-I-S-S-I-" Connie and Sasha stopped their charades as Jean gave them the stink eye. 

"We all know that, Jean. You make it too obvious.." Ymir nudges him on the shoulder. 

Ymir continued "...You gotta be a  _ bad boy  _ like Eren, Live life on the edge, put your life in danger 24/7, now  _ that _ will pull at a girl's heartstrings." 

"...no...I just call that being stupid..and If Mikasa thinks that's hot, then..." Jean sighed to himself. Now that Ymir said that he didn't know if his view on Mikasa has been tainted or not...

"Anyway...did you know that Reiner had a thing for your little Krista?" Jean got back at Ymir, seeing her face turned to utter disgust was satisfying, to say the least. 

"Ew, That muscle mass of a monster is  _ not _ getting anywhere near  _ my _ Krista." Ymir went and gave Christa a backhug...cute! While scanning around for Reiner. 

"Where is he?" Ymir turned to Jean. "Reiner? I haven't seen him since we split..." 

"And where's Bertholdt?" she added on. Jean shook his head this time. 

Armin, who was behind Jean, heard their conversation.  _ [I knew there was something off about them! what are they planning?"] _ Armin felt sweat starting to form on his forehead, his body getting fidgety. 

"Hey, Armin," Mikasa said as she approaches him. "Huh?" 

"Have you seen Eren? You were in his squad, right?" Armin shook his head as a response. Seeing Mikasa's saddened and cornered face, broke his heart. "Maybe he's running late..." Armin uttered, trying to make her feel better. 

"AHHH!!!" An obnoxious yell caught the whole group's attention. 

"Eren!" Mikasa shouted towards the direction of the yelling. She started to move but Levi held her back by the arm. 

~

"Um...this isn't a time for tag guys!!!" Eren screeched out, Running as fast as he could as three hooded figures chase him down. 

Okay, one second you were just minding your own business, and the next you're being chased by your own allies...........wait, allies? 

They were wearing the exact same uniform as Eren, so...he thought that they were probably just some other soldiers doing their duties out here in the woods...

Let's just say...the Eren didn't know any better. NOW RUN EREN RUN!

One of the hooded soldiers gave some hand signals to the other. Nodding, the other took out a bow and arrow, while still balancing on their horse, aiming the shot at Eren. 

Thankfully, they only got him in the arm. "Ahh!" Eren yelled out in pain, pulling the arrow out of his arm...pretty bad idea if you don't wanna bleed out...but okay, you do you, Eren...

Eren was getting very close to the others now, seeing Captain Levi rushing to his rescue was a nice sight to see. 

"Protect the test subject at all cost!!!" Levi yelled as he waves his sword in front of the opposing trio's horses, making them stop and knock their riders to the ground. 

_ {Test subject?!]  _ Eren felt offended, as he watches Mikasa rush to him, hugging him tightly. __

"Ow, ow, Mikasa stop! It hurts!" Eren growled, squeezing his wounded arm. 

"Eren! stop being a baby!" Jean said as he struggles against the tallest of soldiers, the person was over six feet for sure. 

Petra was helping Levi with the shortest of the trio, they were around Petra's height, which led her to think that it had got to be a female under that hood. Erwin soon joined in to keep them from possibly fleeing. 

Armin stood there unable to move...he felt useless...but the least he can do is observe the movements, clothing, and weapons of the trio.

His eyes grow wide as he notices something...the shortest one..had Marco's sword...

"It's Annie! Get her!" Armin shouted out, pointing to the figure in question. 

"What?!" Jean shouted in shock, as the soldier he was fighting with kicks him in the gut, making him fall backward. 

"So...you have figured us out..." Ymir looked at the broad figure she was struggling against. 

"Reiner..." she snarls in a low tone. 

Mikasa dashed towards the smallest figure as soon as she heard what Armin said. All three tackled and apprehended the suspected traitor. 

Leaving an opening for Reiner to get Eren. 

"He's ours..." Reiner sneered as he moves towards Eren, but Ymir stood in the way. "Outta my way, bitch!" he darkly muttered as he slashes Ymir in the forearm with his sword. 

"Stay away from my Christa!" Ymir tries to tackle Reiner, but he was too big for her to actually knock him down. Reiner looks down at the freckled female who was pushing against him. 

"You're...one of us?" He muttered, watching as the slash on her forearm started to steam up. "Never in a million years!" Ymir kicked Reiner in the stomach, hard. 

"Hanji! Get over here!" Levi yells as he, Erwin, and Petra struggles to keep Annie on the ground. Even...with the assistance of Mikasa, and now Connie and Sasha by their side, Annie was a beast. 

"No way, I've got my own problems!" Hanji said as the male soldier, who has got to be Bertholdt, punches her in the glasses. "Urgh! why are you so tall?!" Hanji tries to get away from Bertholdt's grip as Jean was on his back, elbowing him in the neck and head...Jean didn't know what to do exactly, since stabbing Bertholdt would just mean he'll heal himself again.

It was all chaos as Armin, Eld, Gunther, and Oulo stood defensively in front of Christa, watching the brawl in front of them. 

Eren sat there in shock, holding his still bloody arm.  _ [What has this expedition come to...] _ Eren sighs looking at the sun slowly rising, haven't slept in at least 12 hours, he didn't even care if they get caught or not anymore...he just wanted rest. 

"Gotcha.." Eren felt someone pulling him by the arm really forcefully. Looking up to see Reiner caught Eren off guard. 

"Hey hey hey!" Eren voice sounded lazy but still has a hint of panic in it. 

Eren's distress caused Mikasa to turn and look back, while still helping to apprehend Annie. "Eren! I'm com-" A cloud of smoke surrounded Mikasa, causing her to cough and lost sight of Eren. 

"You're coming with us!" Reiner cackled as he started to put Eren in a chokehold. "Yah!" Eren choked out before his vision faded away. 

**{Let's go!}** Reiner signaled to Bertholdt.  **[But...what about Annie?]** Bertholdt gave gestures back with one hand while still struggling with Hanji, Jean, and now Ymir. 

**{She's just bought us time! don't let it go to waste! And grab the freckled lady for me will you?]** Reiner made a run for it with Eren in his arms. 

Bertholdt threw Jean off of his back, which was something he didn't want to do, Kicked Hanji to the ground, and started dragging Ymir away. "Let me go! you mute Hyperion!" Ymir tries to pull away from Bertholdt's grip but to no avail. 

**A/N: Hyperions is known to be the world's tallest known trees**

As the smoke finally fades, they were nowhere to be found. 

Eren, Ymir, Reiner, and Bertholdt...it was like they've disappeared into thin air. 

And all they were left with was a...

Crystalized Annie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope your school year or year, in general, was bearable. 
> 
> Lots of love from me  
> \- your author! :)


	17. The Deceivers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reiner and Bertholdt admit to their faults

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I rewatch that specific scene (if you know, you know) for this chapter...
> 
> I know it isn't as even nearly as impactful as that original scene but I hope this is acceptable. :)

**Time: The 9th month of the 850th year (Next Morning)**

**Location: On the Edge of Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"Ack!" Eren yelled out as he was slapped hard by someone out of unconsciousness. 

"Wake up sleepy head!" Ymir stared down at the male below her. "Ugh..." He groans as he sat upon the big ass branch of the tree they were on. 

"Wh..where are we..." Eren blinks, trying to wake himself up. Ymir shakes her head, letting out a sigh. 

"On a tree...can't you tell?" 

"Why..though..who brought-" Before Eren finishes, Ymir pointed to the men standing on an adjacent branch. 

Eren felt his body tensing up, looking at the people who have captured him. 

Suddenly he felt a surge of rage flowing through his body, then...he exploded.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Eren boomed, getting up on his two feet. 

"Let's just all chill for a sec, Eren...We'll talk when your wound heal...okay?" Reiner said in a calm tone. 

"NO!" Eren tried to get over to the other branch but Ymir stopped him. "You're wasting your energy, Eren." 

"Urgh!" Eren growled loudly as he sat back down holding his still wounded arm.  _ [Why hasn't it healed yet?!]  _ Eren grips his arm in pain _ , _ feeling blood oozing onto his fingers. 

"Just relax and let it heal...It will only heal if you're not tense or willing to let it heal..." Ymir tried to explain to Eren. 

Eren let out a sigh and nodded. "Fine..." 

"Good...while you're healing I'll deal with these bastards..." Ymir looks up at Reiner and Bertholdt. 

"What's the big deal, Lady?" Reiner tries to get away from Ymir's glare. "Big deal?" Ymir started. 

"So kidnapping people must be a daily routine for both of you isn't it?" Ymir said with a sarcastic undertone. 

"Nope...it's our first time, actually...kidnapping that is," Reiner said with a smirk forming on his face. As Bertholdt looked away to the far distance. 

"Then what sick things have you guys done?! Huh!" Eren was back to yelling again. 

"Well...we've shot and stab some people...wait isn't that you also do Eren?" Reiner reasoned back. 

Eren remained silent, glaring intensely at Reiner. 

"Actually, Eren, you’re worst than us!" Reiner cackled. Eren's rage was at its peak, ready to pounce at Reiner, but again...Ymir held him back. 

"Go on...your claim is...interesting." Ymir taunted. 

"Um..let me see...when  _ we _ hurt people at least we put them out of their misery, unlike  _ you! _ " Reiner raised an eyebrow at them. 

"How is killing people a good thing!" 

"At least we don't torture our prisoners, in Gallia we give them proper food and treatment..."

"I don't know how that answers his question, Reiner." Ymir crossed her arms. 

"Don't you see, Eren? We're not so different. The Gallian soldiers were just following orders just like you were...orders to kill and manipulate people, to capture them...We have no control over what we do...or even what we think..."

"SHUT UP!" Eren covers his ears. 

"As for you, you're all pawns in this crazy system, Sacrificial pawns in a game in which the church and government rules and the king is their puppet...and you eat it all up, believing in their lies..." 

Reiner jumped down to the lower branch, stepping closer to Eren and Ymir. 

"Get away from me you monster!" Eren pushed Reiner away while stepping back. 

_ "I'm the monster?  _ Your kingdom thinks that  _ you're _ the monster Eren!" Reiner grabbed Eren by the collar, giving him a good shake. 

"The reason why we kidnapped you guys was to bring you our kingdom...finally giving you guys an accepting home...where people will respect you and even look up to you...don't you want that?" He looks Eren in the eyes, as Eren was trying to get out of his grip. 

"Let go of me! No way am I going anywhere with some murderers!" Eren, at last finally got out of Reiner's iron grip, falling on his butt. 

"M..murderers...hah...What are you saying I haven't killed anyone yet.." Reiner felt a lump in his throat, There was something wrong...he doesn't usually stutter. 

"Yet?" Ymir raised one of her eyebrows, making Reiner feel cornered. 

"Yeah...we're murderers...and we deserve to be hated..." Bertholdt muttered from up on the other branch. 

"Bertholdt! I didn't-" Reiner growled looking at the taller man. 

"Yes, you did! we left them there to die! We could have easily saved him!" Bertholdt lost his cool, yelling at Reiner and then swiftly looking away. 

“‘Him?’” Eren repeated, wondering. 

Reiner grabbed his hair, having a whole mental break-down in front of them. "I'm Sorry! I'm fucking sorry! What am I suppose to do?! bring all the people I've killed back to life?!!!" 

"It's like something came over you...on that day, You were a monster, Annie and I were also monsters for not stepping in..." Bertholdt confessed in a shaky tone. 

//Flashback to the battle of Trost//

**Time: The 7th month of the 850th Year (About two months ago)**

**Location: The kingdom of Edein, Trost District**

"Hey, you guys found him yet? He looks like this.." A gallian soldier flashes a paper with a picture of a young child on it. "I know this is a rough drawing, a bit dated, it's been over ten years ago since he vanished." 

Reiner and Bertholdt both shook their heads at their commander, making him snicker. 

Sighing he puts the paper back into his pocket. "We better find him fast...the king is getting really impatient.." The commander bid them goodbye and walking away, back onto the battlefield. 

"ahem..." Reiner and Bertholdt turn their head to the sound. 

"Marco..." Reiner said darkly. "There you guys were...you were suppose-" Reiner suddenly charged at the brunet. 

"Don't act innocent, what did you hear?!" Reiner barked, gripping onto Marco's neck like he was about to choke him. 

"Reiner, Let's no-" Bertholdt tried to intervene. Reiner turned his head around for a bit to look at Bertholdt and shook his head. "Why are you-" 

"Urgh!" Marco, somehow...just somehow got out of Reiner's grip, half running and stumbling away from the two. 

"He's not getting away...Let's go." Reiner started to run after Marco, with Bertholdt reluctantly following behind. 

_ {Oh god...why do I think it's a good idea to climb a roof...]  _ Marco thought to himself, hoping that he got away. Looking down from the roof to see if Reiner and Bertholdt were on his tail.

_ [Where are they? It's a good thing that I don't see them...right?] _ He felt his heart speeding up. 

The beating got louder and faster as he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, It was, of course, Reiner and Bertholdt. 

"Guys...Let's just talk it out..." Marco said nervously, backing away from them. 

"I think it's a bit too late for that, Marco...you know too much." Reiner got extremely close to Marco, looking at him straight in the eyes. 

"What did you hear?!" Reiner grabbed Marco by the arm and twisted it behind his back. "Ahhh! Rei...Reiner!" Marco cried out in pain. 

"Answer the question or I'd have no other choice but to..." Reiner grabbed Marco's sword, looking at its design.

"Pretty sword...too bad you won't be needing it anymore." 

"What's going on here?" The three males look over to see Annie, now also on the roof. 

"Oi Annie, here's a souvenir for ya!" Reiner tosses the sword to her, she caught it with ease. 

"An...Annie, you're w...with t..t.them too?" Marco shakingly asked. 

"No shit sherlock..." Annie looked at Marco then to Reiner. "You're crazy right?"

"You're gonna kill him out in the open like this? Someone's gonna see..." Annie's words made Marco's eyes widened. 

"Annie why! why! why are you doing this to me!" Marco felt like he was saying nonsense, he couldn't think straight anymore. Tears were rolling down his face, putting his head down hearing what the two were planning to do to him. 

"So..what are we gonna do then?" Reiner asked Annie. She looked into his hazed eyes...Reiner wasn't thinking straight either. Looking to Bertholdt, his eyes were full of fear, he was paralyzed with shock. 

Annie whispered something into Reiner's ear. The next thing Marco knew is that he was holding onto the ledge of the building. 

"Nice grip...let's see how long you can hold," Reiner smirked as he and the rest got off the building. 

*Thud*

Just walking a about few blocks they heard some commotion. Turning around the trio looked at Marco. 

Who was already on his feet, wrestling with a Gallian Soldier, Marco was not match without his weapons..letting out blood-curdling screams as he gets stabbed by the soldier. Then shortly fell to the ground, lifeless as can be. 

"Shit...was that Marco? Why is he lying on the ground..." Reiner has finally come to his senses, looking to Bertholdt and Annie, The tall lad was on the verge of crying. As for Annie, her face showed absolutely no expression at all, almost looked like she was happy that Marco died. 

Annie continued walking, gripping tightly on her victim's sword.

Reiner hesitantly walks over to Marco, dragging his dead body to propped onto the wall of a nearby building. "I'm so sorry...I'm sorry, sorry...sorry....." Reiner went on and on apologizing. 

In a zombie-like state, he kept repeating, until Bertholdt came to tug on his shoulder. "Let's go," Bertholdt said as he wipes away the tears in his eyes. 

_ [what have I done...] _

Reiner thought to himself as they walked away, he never knew that this moment would haunt him, he'd killed many in his years of serving but why did this haunt him? 

He didn't even 'kill' Marco, so why...

**//End of Flashback//**

"You've deceived us all! Pretending to care and listening to my stories! That was all part of your plans wasn't it?!" Eren's raged filled yelling brought Reiner back to the present time. 

"Yes! It is! lock us up! we deserve to be tormented and tortured to the fullest extent!" Reiner choked through his tears, his head facing the ground in shame, as for Bertholdt, who was looking away in the distance again. 

Eren feels himself smiling as they admit their defeat. "It's a trap..." He hears Ymir say. 

"What?" 

"They're baiting you...baiting us..." Ymir sighs as she lays on her back. 

"What do you mean?" Eren narrows his eyes at her. 

"From the years I've been alive, I've learned to never give your enemy what they want...they have a plan..they're not going to surrender that easily..." 

"Years you've been alive? aren't you like our age?" Ymir chuckled as she shook her head.

"I'm probably older than all of you combine." Ymir laughs out loud. "I've been around the block a few times..."

"What the fuck?" Eren muttered in disbelief at what Ymir just said. 

"Yeah Yeah...enough about me...what are you going to do with them? lock them up or let them go? It's up to you..." Ymir closed her eyes for a bit, God knows when's the last time they slept. 

Eren took a deep breath, looking at both Bertholdt and Reiner, and said sternly...

"Get out of our kingdom, and  _ never _ return...and if you do? We're gonna make you regret it..." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter is alright...see you in the next chapter as soon as possible. 
> 
> thank you for reading!


	18. The Beef

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This hell of an expedition just wouldn't end

**Time: The 9th month of the 850th year (adjacent time to Eren's argument with Reiner) (The morning after the initial attack)**

**Location: Erwin's Meeting site near Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"What the fuck was that?" Jean groaned, rubbing his back, sitting on the ground.

"They tricked us all..." Armin shook his head in disbelief. 

"it's time we retreat...Mikasa!" Erwin's command made Mikasa jolt up in a standing position. "Yes Sir!" She responded.

"You and your squad shall go look for Eren and Ymir...while my squad go fetch a wagon to load the crystalized being on....and lastly Levi, you guys will stay here and guard that crystal..." Erwin took a deep breath before finishing.

"DID I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" Erwin roared out, making sure that everyone had heard his orders. 

"Yes sir(!)" Some muttered on with exhaustion, while others were itching for some more action.

"Good...we meet back here and we'll return to headquarters together..." Erwin hopped onto his horse, followed by Eld and Krista.

"How bout you stay back at headquarters when we arrive, Krista..." Erwin suggested, Christa nodded in agreement. 

"Sounds good, I am in need of some shut-eye." Krista smiled sweetly at their commander, as the three proceeded to ride off on their horses. 

"Hey! can I go too-....too..late.." Connie sighed out disappointment, as he flops down onto the ground as if it was a bed. 

Sasha looked at Mikasa, who was now on her horse ready to go. Sasha pouted and looked at Connie. "I...don't wanna...go," she said with hesitation.

"Tsk...you guys do nothing but eat and sleep don't you...." Levi rolled his eyes and shook his head at both Sasha and Connie.

"Hey! that's not what she meant!" Connie came to Sasha's defense.

"So...she meant that you're both pussy-cats? doesn't seem better to me..." Levi countered.

"Oh leave them alone Levi..." Hanji frowned at him while kneeling down to pat Sasha and Connie on the shoulder.

"You guys can stay here, three is more than enough for a search and rescue mission." She reassured them, then flashed a glare at Levi as she approached Gunther and Mikasa, who were already on their horses, ready to go. 

"See ya later!" Hanji waved at the rest of them as her squad rode away. 

Jean flops onto his backside, looking at the sun slowly rising up the sky. 

"Hey, Armin..." He said, turning his head towards Armin. "Yeah?" The blonde turns to Jean. 

"How did you know that it was Annie?" 

"Huh?" Armin was just trying to buy time. He didn't want to say that he recognized Marco's sword but...it would probably give Jean some closure. But then Armin wasn't exactly sure what's the cause of Marco's death...he didn't want to falsely accuse anyone. 

"How did you recognize Annie?" Jean repeated his question. Armin nodded, signaling that he heard it this time. 

"I guess...her height and form...It was just instinct..." He lied. 

"Makes sense..." Jean agreed, getting up into a sitting position. 

"I can't believe we trusted them...." Jean sighed, still in disbelief. 

"People aren't always what they seem to be..." Armin muttered out of nowhere. "What?" Jean gave Armin a perplexed look. 

"It's what Reiner said to me...Was he trying to hint at something?" 

"Now...that you mention it...Marco seems like that most knowledgeable out of us all..." Jean felt a surge of memories coming back to him. 

"What do you mean?" Armin was now the confused one. 

"He always has it out for Reiner...it's like they hated each other..." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah...whenever they were paired up to fight...they both have no mercy for each other..." 

Armin nodded as he continued to listen. 

"After the fight, they would both have busted lips and scars on their faces...like what the fuck? Was Marco always like this before I joined?" 

Armin tried to remember the time when he discovered that Marco was also in the military, It wasn't really surprising...Marco being a son of a commander and all...makes sense.

Marco was kind to everyone he met, He was a very approachable and understanding person, He was 'slightly' cold to the trio, especially towards Reiner and Annie...he didn't really care much for Bertholdt...

But ever since the day Armin arrived at the dorm of the military, Marco and Reiner would go out of their way to avoid each other. 

Armin started to get what Jean was saying earlier.

Armin, Eren, Bertholdt, Reiner, and Marco were in the same dorm along with some other trainees, and some nights he would notice that either Reiner and Bertholdt or Marco would 'go for a stroll’ and come back in the early morning looking like they didn't get a wink of sleep. 

Every mission they were on together, Armin would feel the tension between the two. Their ideas would clash and it even went as far as not even looking to each other at all. 

Even Armin couldn't figure out what the problem was...their rivalry seemed deep-rooted, it wasn't petty...makes sense they were both two of the most mature cadets. 

Armin sighed as he thought of his answer. 

"Marco and Reiner have some type of rivalry...like you and Eren..." 

"What?" Jean snorted in disbelief. "Rivalry? Marco? I don't think those belong in the same sentence...like why in the hell do they hate each other so much?" 

Armin nodded in agreement, Reiner and Marco's history with each other was a total mystery...not even their closest friends or even family can figure it out...

~

**Time: The 9th month of the 850th year (Afternoonish time)**

**Location: On the Edge of Wilshire Woods, Edein Outskirts**

"Eren!"

"Ymir!" 

Mikasa looked over the Hanji, who was yelling her lungs out, over and over again. 

They've searched almost through the entire forest at this point...still no sign of Eren...

_Drop_

"Ahhh!" Hanji suddenly yelled out in shock as a stone fell from above. 

"What was that?" Gunther frantically asked, looking around for some possible attackers. 

The three stopped their horses, looking at their surroundings, to their right was big gigantic trees, blocking the light of the sun and to their left was a field of soft long grass. 

"Come down from the tree!" Mikasa hollers, as she spotted two figures standing in the trees. 

Hanji and Gunther got out their rifles and were ready to shoot if they resisted. 

"It's us!" The shorter silhouette waves their arms at them. Then tries to climb down from the tree, followed by the other. 

"Eren!" Mikasa got off her horse, running to Eren. 

As Hanji and Gunther lowered their weapons but were still keeping an eye out. 

Ymir sighed and rolled her eyes as Mikasa gave Eren the tightest hug ever. 

"Lucky you..." Ymir muttered to him. Making Eren swing his fist at her. Without wincing or flinching, she rubs her pained arm.

"Are you ok? are you healed?" Mikasa asked, pulling on Eren's arms, looking for wounds and scars...and of course, there were none. 

"I'm fine...gosh.." Eren brushed past Mikasa...he was pretty annoyed. 

Walking up to Hanji with a sour expression. "Wait...where are the tall dudes?" Hanji questioned. 

"I told them to scram." Eren plastered a smirk on his face, looking pretty proud of himself. 

"And they listened?" Hanji raised an eyebrow. Eren nodded his head. "They confessed to their sins, and wanted to be locked up...but I told them to go back to Gallia..." 

Hanji felt some disappointment in Eren's decision to let them go. 

"Ehem... _I_ was the one who suggested to let them go..." Ymir reminded Eren.

"Actually...fine..." Eren complied. " _We_ told them to." 

"That's great! but what were they here for anyway?" Hanji kept asking. 

"I don't know...maybe they're spies.." 

"Spies you say...how would we know that you're not a spy? with your powers and all.." Gunther squinted his eyes at the boy. He was one of the bunch who was still skeptical of Eren. 

Mikasa felt the urge to come to Eren's defense, stepping up to them but Hanji beat her to it. 

"Leave the boy alone, Gunther. We don't have time to be on each other's backs right now.."

"Whatever..." Gunther mouths, as he and Eren exchange glares. 

"Let's go the fuck out of here, did you guys hear the rustling of the leaves?" Ymir walks up to Hanji's horse, grabbing Hanji's arm to pull herself up the horse. 

Before Hanji can comment on Ymir's sudden actions, Ymir harshly kicks Hanji's horse, making it accelerate into a gallop. 

"Hey! Don't be rude to my Bean!" Hanji yelps as she pulls back the reins. "You named the horse?" Eren tries to hold back his giggles as Mikasa rides their horse up to Hanji. 

"Yeah! they are caring your heavy butts all day, they deserve some respect!" Hanji proceeded to lean toward Bean's head, petting its long luscious mane.

Hanji sighed to her, it was a day's work...everyone just wanted to rest. 

"Come on, we should be returning to HQ by afternoon, I bet you guys can't wait to have a good night's sleep," Hanji said as she yawned. 

They ride for a while, steadily on their horses. When Hanji notices that something's wrong.

"Wait..." Hanji stops her horse, followed by Mikasa.

"Have you guys seen Gunther?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this mediocre story :)
> 
> give kudos to give this procrastinating sloth some motivation (if you want to or you think this story is somehow good)
> 
> anyway please have a safe and happy day/night (^~^)


	19. The Ambush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chaos, just chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to update another chapter either before or right after Christmas (happy early Birthday to Levi if I don't make it) 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading :) 
> 
> \- Mirae (Your Author)

"GUNTHER!" Eren's eyes shook as he looks at the bloody body of Gunther lying on the ground next to his own horse. 

"Holy shit! Let's get the heck outta here!" Hanji frantically yelled out, she was trying to stay calm but who could stay calm...they might all die in a matter of seconds. 

"But Gunt-" Eren tries to interject. 

"He's a goner! and if we don't wanna end up like him, we gotta go!" Without looking back, Hanji headed towards their meeting site. 

~

**Location: Erwin's meeting site near Wilshire Woods** **, Edein Outskirts**

"Alright...is everybody here?" Erwin asked as he checks if the crystalized Annie was tightly secured onto the wagon. 

"Glasses and the rest haven't returned yet," Levi responded on his horse, ready to get back to their HQ. 

"Get off the horse, Levi. We're waiting." Erwin puts back the reins of Levi's horse, preventing it from riding away. 

Sighing, Levi gets off his horse. approaching the crystal that was tied to the wagon. "Does any knows who this is?" he questioned. 

The group remained silent for a while before Jean stomped his way to the wagon. 

"Come out! Come out and finish what you've done!" He wacks the crystal with his sword until half of the blade broke off. 

Jean didn't know why he kept on hitting the damn crystal. He knows that it's not gonna magically split open. So why.... _why_ is he trying so hard? 

He knows that this is a frustrating thing for everyone but _why_ him? _Why_ is he more angered than any of them? 

Was it something personal? But Annie hasn't done anything to hurt him directly, same goes for Reiner and Bertholdt...so _why_?

"Calm down." Jean felt his arm stop swinging. Looking to his side it was Levi who had stopped him. 

"Why should I?!" Jean snarled. 

"What's your relation with the girl in the crystal?" Erwin came closer. 

".......an enemy..." Jean muttered under his breath. 

"Speak up to your commanders, Kirstein," Erwin ordered. But Jean stays silent. 

"She used to be an ally but now nothing but a malicious betrayer..." Armin spoke in place of Jean. 

Approaching the place where Annie crystalized herself, on the ground the engraved sword was lying on the tall grass. Throwing away his own, Armin replaced his sword with Marco's. 

"Why'd you do that?" Jean asked, looking at Armin. 

"....." Armin didn't know how to respond...should he just tell Jean that somehow Annie got a hold of Marco's sword? Wouldn't that make the situation worse?

"Um...." Armin hesitated. "My sword is getting dull, I'll put this to good use." It was a lie, his sword was in perfect condition. 

"Why not use mine? why use a sword of a traitor?" Jean reasoned, handing his sword to Armin. 

"It's alright Jean, It's just a piece of metal." Armin puts down Jean's offer. 

Jean frowned, stepping away from the crystalized Annie. 

"What's that rumbling noise?" All eyes turn towards Levi. Everyone frantically looked around for a possible attack about to be upon them. 

"Petra! You lead the kids to HQ, Erwin and I will stay here with the crystal." Levi commanded, but Petra was already on it.

Jumping on her horse, she signaled the rest to do the same. 

"IT'S AN AMBUSH!!!!" Hanji's voice could be heard in the direction of the rumble. 

Levi's eyes widened as he sees that Gunther was not with them. _{no...not another one...]_

He and Erwin circle around the wagon, as if to 'protect' Annie. Hanji soon joined them. As if she'd read Levi's mind her group was following behind Petra. 

~

"What's going on here?!" Of course Petra knew what was happening, but still wanted to know why Hanji's group lead an ambush straight to them. 

_Splash_

The sound of blood spattering rings in their ears as they watch as Petra falls off her horse. 

All of their horses came to a halt, looking into the devil-like eyes of the Gallion soldier in front of them. 

"Holy shit...P..petra." Eren stuttered as he looked at the bloody body of Petra on the ground. 

"You'll pay for this, you devil!" without warning..well with warning Oulo charged at the Gallian fearing nothing for his life. The soldier just plainly dodged his incoming attack. Then swiftly sweeping Oulo off his feet, pinning him to the ground with only one leg. 

"Survey Corp....right? what a disappointment..." shaking his head in disapproval and smirking down at Oluo. 

_Whoosh_

"Tch...cheap shot." the soldier held his chest, pulling out the arrow that was shot, feeling the red liquid drips down then quickly disintegrate into steam. looking up at Eld, who was shaking, his eyes bleeding tears. 

"Bang..." The Gallian raised his gun and carelessly shot at his assaulter. 

_Flop_

"It can't be....." Eld utters his last words as his lifeless body flops off his horse and onto the ground. 

"Forget about the devil...you're satan yourself..." Oluo struggles against the Gallian's stance. "You're right...and I'm here to drag you to hell." Grinning, like a devil that Oluo had described him to be, leveling his gun to Oulo's face. 

"See you in hell, mortal...." 

_Bang!_

"Why...the hell is our people dropping like flies! We were trained to be strong!!!" Connie cried out, tears spilling from his eyes, if his hair was any longer he would be trying to pull it out of his skull

"Well well well. Three down, seven to go..." the Gallian cockyly walks towards them without a hint of hesitation nor fear. 

Mikasa was about to pounce off of her horse and chop that bastard's head right off. "Mikasa! Don't be reckless!....like a certain someone..." Jean yelled to Mikasa, back up his horse. 

"R-r-right we were ordered to retreat..." Sasha added, shaking while her iron grip on Connie's shoulder tightens. 

"Retreat? I think it's a bit too late for that!" With a hellish cackle, the Gallian soldiers charged at them. "Shit!" Eren yelled out, almost busting Mikasa's eardrums, letting out a growl Mikasa turns her horse, retreating. 

"No way, I'm _not_ retreating!" Before Eren could get off the horse, he felt his hood being pulled at by Mikasa. "Darn it, Mikasa. Let go!" 

"In the woods! Maybe we can lose them!" Mikasa yelled to the others, ignoring Eren's complaints. 

Without looking back at their fallen seniors, the children rode into the forest. 

"Let them be..." The commanding Gallian soldier said to his troop. "We're wasting our time on their pathetic asses." Halting his men, who about to proceed with the chase. 

"Our job here is done, the ten-year search has finally come to an end." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that wasn't too bad. If you liked it consider leaving me kudos (but of course don't ever feel forced to do it, if you don't like it, that totally fine) 
> 
> Have a great and safe day (^V^)


	20. The Fallen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> almost done with the expedition, hang in there everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas!!! And Happy Birthday to Levi :) 
> 
> Even if you don't celebrate Christmas or any other holidays during this time, I hope you are well and happy. 
> 
> Have fun reading!

"Good day, Captain Levi..." A Gallian growled darkly as he approaches the trio, his men following close behind. 

"How'd you know me..." Levi squinted his eyes at the apposing soldier, inching closer to the crystalized Annie. "Oh you're a legend, he who apprehended more than 10,000 of our best soldiers shouldn't go unnoticed..." The disgusting smirk arose on the bastard's face as he gets off of his horse. 

Playing with his swords, rubbing them together. Walking slowly towards them. 

"You want your soldier back, don't you?!" Erwin inferred, gripping tightly on his swords. 

"oh...her?.....no." 

Erwin's eyebrow furrowed together as the three steps closer to Annie.

"Let me elaborate, commander...that girl is a runaway, the cause of the Gallian royal massacre 10 years ago..." chuckling a bit, the soldier stops in his tracks. 

"Massacre...sounds brutal..." Hanji said with a slight hint of empathy in her voice. 

"Shut it four-eyes. They don't deserve our condolences." Levi hissed, leveling his sword to the soldier's neck. "Leave now or become one of our lab rats, your choice." 

"Hahahaha! oh, I'm so scared!!! hahaha!!" The soldier broke down laughing like a maniac, kneeling on his knees from the pain in his abdomen being compressed. 

_Slice_

The soldier felt wet liquid leaking from his left ear as he peered up to see Levi giving him the death glare. 

"Time's over, make a choice _now_..." Levi said darkly to the bleeding Gallion. 

"What??? I can't hear..." The Gallion's face became even more idiotic as he pretended not to ear Levi. Triggered, Levi was about to swing to the man, but...

"Levi!!!" Erwin's voice boomed in Levi's ears, halting his motion. "We don't have time for them!" 

_Clap Clap Clap Clap Clap_

The leader of the Gallions, clapping his hands as he approaches the three. "You read my mind commander...we don't have time for you either..." his face formed a disgusting smirk, as he pulls up his soldier from the ground. 

"We were just leaving. Let's go Milan..." Dragging back his underling, struggling from all of the kicking and whining from the junior. 

"So you're not here for us?" Hanji sounded a bit disappointed.

"No, you maggots lucked out, now that our fugitive had decided to return..." Giving a little wave, the Gallions ride off into the distance. 

Erwin let out a sigh of relief, as Hanji gave him a puzzled look. "What is it Hanji?"

"Does that mean they won't bother us anymore?"

"Hopefully...with them gone our supplies will have time to be restocked, our people won't be killed or kidnapped and our dignity will be spared." Erwin sighed out, looking at the bright blue sky.

"You're being too optimistic, Erwin..." Levi shook his head, turning around, trying to push the wagon by himself.

"Aw..." Hanji pouted. "That's a shame..."

"What's a shame?" Levi snorted, as they all got onto their horses, tying ropes to secure the wagon onto them.

"I...It's a shame that I wouldn't be able to get more test subjects..." Hanji pouted again, but this time more exaggerated.

"At least we got her." Erwin tried to encouraged Hanji, signaling to the crystalized Annie on their wagon. Hanji nodded in acknowledgment that her scientist days aren't yet over, as she hopped onto her horse.

Erwin and Hanji rode in front pulling the wagon and Levi on the lookout in the back. 

"So...what do we do now?" Hanji quietly asked.

"We're returning at the headquarters, of course." Erwin sneered.

The trio quietly made their way back to headquarters, until something catches their eyes.

_Blood_

Blood of their comrades, covering their tracks.

At a loss for words, Erwin and Levi remained on their horses, while Hanji rushed towards their friends' corpses.

"Hanji, what are you doing?" Levi asked, soullessly.

Hanji didn't respond, as she was busy trying to check for pluses on her obviously dead comrades.

"Why bother...." Levi mumbled to himself.

"They're long gone..." Hanji dryly said, looking at the ground.

Erwin gulped as he got off his horse. "Petra, Oulo, Gunther, and Eld...I'm sorry....this is all my fault..." He muttered as he drops to his knees beside them. 

"Haul them back...their families needs a proper send-off." Levi, at last getting off his horse, making his way over to Petra. Picking her up gently while nudging the others to help. 

"Are you sure this is secure?" Hanji commented on their half-ass attempt to tie Oulo, Eld, and Petra onto the wagon, there was almost no room since Annie took all of the space. 

All they could do was tie the three onto the sides of her crystal. 

"What else could we do?" Levi snickered getting back on his horse. 

Erwin and Hanji didn't protest, they knew Levi was as heartbroken as the both of them. Even more them since what happened a few years ago...

Farlan and Isabel...ever since they died Levi hasn't been the same, and now with another four deaths, Erwin just hoped that Levi doesn't lose his will to fight...

~

"Commander, Captian Ludwig had already retreated...we should too." 

"You're right, Matthias. Let's go out with a bang." 

"You see that pathetic group of soldiers?"

"Yes sir." 

.

.

.

"Fire the canon." 

~

"Phew...we lost them." Connie dramatically wiped his forehead. 

Jean wasn't so sure about that statement, keeping an eye out like an eagle for any surprise attacks.

_BOOM!_

"Ahhh!!!" They all yelled out in shock as a cannonball landed a dozen meters away from them.

"The audacity of those motherfuckers!!" Eren cried out in frustration. _[That's it! This is the last straw!!!]_

Letting out an animalistic growl, Eren jumps off of Mikasa's horse, about to charge towards the explosion.

"Eren! NO!" Mikasa and Armin yelled out in unison as they restrained Eren from running any further.

"Oh come on, let him run off to his untimely end..." Jean joked, crossing his arms watching Eren struggle to break free. "What did you just say?!" Eren directed his attention towards Jean, stopping his struggling, and stomped his way to Jean. 

Jean smirked seeing that Eren was so immature that he couldn't take a stupid insult. "Um...I wonder how you even got to graduate..." Jean pondered, mockingly scratching his chin at Eren. 

"I got the best performance score out of you weaklings. So you better think twice before insulting me, Jean..." Eren glared up at Jean, but to his surprise, the french stallion was unbothered. 

"You? you mean Mikasa got the best score." Jean corrected, which only angered Eren more. 

"Urrgh!" Eren harshly grabbed onto Jean's collar, as Mikasa, Connie and Sasha jumped hold them both back. 

_[Drama...Drama, can't wait to get the fuck out of this place...but...I'll stay just a little bit longer for my Krista]_ Ymir thought to herself watching them starting another pointless argument. 

"Stop it now! The enemy could hear us!" Armin voiced his concern, in a loudish whisper, forcing himself between Jean and Eren. 

Jean couldn't help but get a bit sentimental as now the role of peacemaker in the group has changed. "Right...Eren, grow a pair of balls, would ya! You saw our comrades being burned to a crisp in that fire and their ashes spread throughout the outskirts of our kingdom, you'll never do their death justice if you keep being so idiotic, So...man up Eren." Letting go of Eren's collar Jean, turned to face the faraway walls of Edein. 

A long and awkward silence fell on the group, but the peace didn't last long. 

.

.

.

.

.

_BANG!!!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, happy day everyone! hope to see ya either before or right after the new year. 
> 
> (P.S Leave me presents in the form of Kudos, if you think this story is actually good of course)


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